Eyes of the Broken Soul
by TenraiSenshi
Summary: Every night since he could remember, it always happened the same way. The beatings, the pain, the cruelty, it never went away. But one night, it all changed and Naruto unlocked a power that would alter his life and the world around him forever.
1. Chapter 1 Nightmares and Loneliness

**Eyes of the Broken Soul**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.

This fanfic and the ideas therein do belong to me, 'Tenrai Senshi'. If you want to use it in any way shape or form, you'll need my permission first. All original characters also belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

**Warning:** Naruto is a bit OOC in this story due to circumstances explained, most notably in the earlier chapters. Some of the other characters may become OOC as well, mostly due to different circumstances taking place, but that isn't 100% certain yet. If you don't like it, don't complain because I've already warned you.

**Plot summary:** This story is about a young Naruto who lives a life of constant abuse at his orphanage because of the Kyuubi sealed inside him, never knowing why he was hated. However, one night, during one of his many violent encounters with a hostile caretaker, the boy inadvertently activates a hidden Kekkei Genkai that hospitalizes one of his wardens. After being kicked out of his only home due to this incidence, Naruto must now deal with the after-effects of having lived a life in isolation, not to mention the secrets of his newly discovered abilities.

Will the boy ever be able to find a normal life of acceptance and love after so many years of isolation, or is he forever destined to his lonely hell?

* * *

**AN:** Hey everyone and welcome to my rewrite of one of my longer running fanfics, 'Eyes of the Broken Soul'. For those who had been reading the original, I am sure you all noticed my absence from writing in the past few months. Well, there are a number of factors that contributed to that, one of them being life (go figure) as well as family and health issues, all of which have put me in a less than favorable emotional state. I have also been incredibly busy of late, so the luxury of writing has mostly eluded my grasp.

Anyway, to explain the reason behind this rewrite, I had been going through the original story 'Eyes' recently, a story that has, over the months, gained many loyal readers and reviews both positive and negative alike, and I noticed a few things that I wasn't really happy with. There was a lot of room for improvement, both grammatically and with regards to the story itself as well. So I decided to have another go at it so that I could, hopefully, make it a more meaningful and enjoyable experience. I hope, in some way, I achieve that goal.

This rewrite will still essentially be the same story it was before, however it will undergo quite a few changes, some drastic and others less so. For the most part, it will still contain the same base plot with the same underlying message, but I will fix a few issues that were pointed out to me as well as introducing some new ideas that may add a lot more to the experience. A lot of the less important content will also be cut in favor of more meaningful advancement, but that doesn't mean I plan to rush the pace. It just means that what is there will be what I feel is truly necessary and not just filler content.

In the end, I want to elevate the overall feel of the story and make it more memorable. I wanted emotions to be conveyed more through sights, sounds and atmosphere more than just simple narration and give the reader an experience that will hopefully move them in some way. If I manage to achieve that, it would make me happy. I know some of you may not be happy about a rewrite, but this was the only way I could get my heart back into writing at all, so I guess it will have to do and maybe once you have read the first chapter, you will notice the difference already.

For those who read the original, I hope this lives up to and exceeds that. For those of you who are new to this story, welcome aboard. I really hope you enjoy it! ^ ^

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Nightmares and Loneliness**

They say that when someone is sad, or when the heavy burden of grief claims their heart, the arrival of rain is a welcome solace to hide the tears that fall from their eyes. Storms that bring life-bearing water to the very earth below also hold the great promises of new beginnings, fertility and times of joy. Yet, even still, one cannot deny the harm and destruction they are capable of causing just as easily.

For some, such a passing is seen as a blessing, for others an inconvenient curse, but for one boy in particular, not even the rain that fell endlessly passed his solemn and empty gaze could hide the tears that fell just as quietly from his eyes, as he watched such a storm billowing outside his window. For his eyes had carried all the evidence of his emotions of the weight that pressed heavily against his heart, emotions that were rooted in the grief and sorrow that mercilessly clung onto his very being.

A flash of bright light momentarily illuminated the night sky, pulsing through the darkness and painting the clouds above with a smear of white and silver, before letting out an angry roar in the wake of its passing. A deep, heavy breath broke the otherwise eerie silence that followed only moments later, before finally releasing itself from strained lungs in the guise of a shuddered sigh, the hint of a dreaded emotion catching painfully in a child's heart as it sank with the knowledge of what was yet to come.

For Uzumaki Naruto, the storm only served as a fleeting distraction from a life cursed with silence and pain, and it was all he could do to sit quietly upon a tattered bed next to a hazed window, his dampened blue eyes longingly searching the world outside for any distraction they could afford. However, even the mesmerizing trance that the dancing flashes of light offered him could not distract his thoughts from the overbearing cold that wrapped around his body and soon he was shivering from the damp and icy chill that seeped into his skin.

Naruto brought his legs up to huddle his knees closely against his chest, before hugging them tightly in an attempt to stay warm. Any blanket that might have been afforded to another child of his age by the grace of a loving parent, was notably absent from his hold, and only the warmth of his own body and the thin, torn clothes that scantly covered him, provided any protection from the unforgiving elements. He was somewhat used to living under such harsh conditions, so he tried to adapt as best as he always had, but that didn't make it any easier for him to bear.

This was his hell, his empty world of broken dreams and unrelenting pain. Naruto never knew why he was treated differently from the other children in his orphanage, or why he was never given the affection and care that his fellows were so freely blessed with. He never knew why he couldn't feel the warmth of a simple hug, or the soft whisper of a gentle voice as it told him that he was loved. All he ever knew was the cold and unforgiving glares of darkened eyes as they regarded him with a bitter malice and loathing discontent. The same eyes that mercilessly bored into his soul every time one's gaze drew onto him and the same eyes that watched him cry out in pain every time their owner saw fit to inflict against him whatever cruel torture they could muster.

He never knew why he was hated so much, or why the caretakers of his orphanage treated him with such cruelty. They even denied him the simple comfort of having company by isolating him in the farthest and most run down side of the building that he reluctantly called home. All he knew was that this was his reality and it was all he could do to simply survive it as best as he could.

Another brief flash of light momentarily interrupted Naruto's deteriorating thoughts, before drawing his otherwise unfocused eyes back to his window once more. A happy couple could be seen walking merrily passed his view, comforted in one another's arms as they walked under the shelter that kept them from the torrent of rain. Even though it was faint, the young boy could just barely make out the exuberant laughs that carried across the air as they continued happily on their journey, and a tight squeeze shared between them as they wrapped their arms around one another easily betrayed the love they clearly shared.

Soon afterwards, a single, small hand found itself firmly pressed against the icy window that tickled against its palm, a hand that reached out longingly for the warmth that met its owner's sight only to find coldness in its stead. A few drops of water trickled against the floor moments later and soon the vision that met Naruto's vision began to warp and fade altogether, his view now impeded by the salty evidence of emotions that welled up in his eyes. Even despite his best efforts, Naruto could not stop the tears as they slid down the side of his cheeks and over the fine whisker lines that marked them, nor the heavy sob that unexpectedly wracked his body.

_'Why... why can't I just touch them?' _The boy thought quietly to himself, in between a deep heave._ 'Why can't I feel that warmth...? I just want to... I just...'_

Naruto simply squeezed his eyes tightly in anguish, ridding them of any remaining tears that might have otherwise still clung to his vision, before shaking his anguished thoughts from his mind. Unfortunately, they would not be the last tears he would shed that night, nor would they be the easiest to bear.

It wasn't long before the door to Naruto's room suddenly began to stir before slowly creaking open, an expected arrival and a curse to the boy's life, one that he knew would soon bring him pain.

Startled from his trance, Naruto quickly jumped up from the bed that had provided him his only comfort, his eyes now widened with the evidence of fear and panic, before he backed slowly up against the nearby wall. Both of his hands soon found themselves pressing tightly against the cold surface that met his back, almost as if to brace him or simply keep him steady, and shortly afterwards his gaze was caught by another imposing figure as it entered into his view.

"Good evening Naruto-kun," a heavy voice sneered pompously. "I'm sure you know why I am here, so there's no need for any formal introductions, not that you would understand such civil exchanges. Let's just get on with it then, shall we? I am feeling rather tired tonight..."

Naruto simply whimpered in fear as he regarded the colossal tower of a man that addressed him, knowing all to well what would follow soon afterwards. It was the same thing that happened every night without fail and this night wouldn't be any different from the others. As if to confirm his fears of what was to come, or merely to taunt the flow of his tears, the warden in front of him began to crack his knuckles into his hands, causing them to pop loudly into place as he prepared himself for the night's 'lesson'. It was all Naruto could do to close his eyes as tightly as he could in preparation for what would follow, while trying desperately to hold his own body from collapsing under his precariously shaking knees.

_'Please, please don't let it last long. Please let it not hurt too much...'_

All that followed was an eerie silence and for a moment, even the sound of the falling rain outside seemed to fade into nothingness, almost as if time itself had frozen in place. Then, it finally came, and the first blow fell mercilessly from a cruel fist as it slammed into the side of Naruto's face, sending his quivering form crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. At first, there was no pain, just a tingling warmth as it spread through the area of impact, but unfortunately for Naruto, the reprieve was short-lived.

It wasn't even moments later, before the boy's cheek suddenly felt like it had caught on fire, as his nerves began to relay the pain. Naruto simply writhed in agony as he lay there on the damp wooden floor that held his form, hissing through teeth that still clenched tightly in agony. However, even despite his pain, he still dared not open his eyes for fear of an even greater reprisal and the child did his best to hold back any screams that would have otherwise brought satisfaction to the ears of his tormentor.

"I see you want to do this the hard way," Naruto heard the same gruff voice chiding again, followed by an amused chuckle. "That's perfect. It makes the game that much more fun for me when I get to test how long your will can hold out."

From that point, there was no longer any offer of restraint and Naruto couldn't even tell one blow from the next as they continued to rain down without remorse. The boy didn't even know how long it was before he started screaming, or whether he had simply been doing so from the start, all he knew was that even his cries for mercy did little to stem the tide and soon he no longer had the strength to even scream anymore.

Then, just as suddenly as it started, it was over, and the clammy sounds of retreating footsteps signified the end of Naruto's torture. The only other evidence of the fact, was the cruel words that carried across the air.

"Well, it looks like we're done for the night boy. I'll see you again tomorrow night, same time, hahaha, same place." The room then fell into an eerie silence once more.

It was only a few minutes later that Naruto even dared to finally open his eyes again and even then, it took all the strength he could muster. Soon afterwards, once he had given himself some time to test his own mobility, he propped himself up as best as he could with shaky arms, noticing, with great concern, the blood that marked the floor where he lay and the evidence of his beating that marred his body.

"Man, he really didn't hold back this time," he choked out shakily, although it was more of a strained whisper. "How am I ever gonna explain this to Iruka-sensei?"

Naruto then steadied himself upright until he was in a more supportive sitting position, before letting out a shaky sigh of relief. It was over, he had survived another night.

He just continued to sit there in silence for a few minutes, his body in too much pain to move even if it was only to lie down again. He didn't know whether he wanted to cry or just sleep, or whether either would provide him any comfort. All he knew was that he could feel a heavy pain hitting the center of his chest, almost as though a clamp had gripped his heart and begun to squeeze tightly.

Unfortunately, the moment of peace was short-lived and another creek from the doorway alerted Naruto once more, drawing his now bruised eyes back up only to see his tormentor entering the room again. This time, however, the man brandished a new toy to amuse himself with, a wooden plank that was covered in a mess of barbed wiring, no doubt another tool to implement some sickening form of torture.

"Well, hello again," the man called out mockingly. "I thought, seeing as how you handled that last session so admirably, that I'd leave you with one last gift for the night."

Naruto felt a hitch catch in his breath as he watched the man swing his new weapon about in an almost exuberant manner, and the pain in that caught in the boy's chest only squeezed that much tighter.

_'No... not again...'_

The young blond didn't even notice the tears that slipped down his face, nor the way his heart began to race frightfully, pounding desperately hard against his chest. All he could see was the figure of a monster before him, moving towards his position like a scavenger raiding a carcass.

_'No, please... no more... I can't take any more...'_

Then it all became a haze, as images and colours blurred together and sounds devolved into nothing more than a violent ringing in Naruto's ears. All that remained were his emotions, raw and turbulent, as they burned throughout his very being.

**"NO MORE!"**

Following Naruto's rasped cry, eyes that were once a deep blue colour began to shine a soft gold, peering radiantly out onto the darkness and locking their gaze with the very figure that regarded him with so much contempt. Naruto simply continued to stare blankly, unaware of his own vision, emotions, or even his thoughts, unaware of the screams that began to reverberate across the room as the man in front of him began to cry out in agony.

The weapon that the warden had once held in his hands had no sooner fallen to the floor, when their own followed shortly afterwards. The man then began to writhe and squirm where he lay, as if tortured by some hidden assailant.

"Gaaahhhh! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"

The agonized cries soon brought Naruto back to his senses and the golden hue of his eyes quickly returned to their normal blue shade once more. It was only then that the boy noticed, for the first time, the dilemma set before him.

"W-what happened?" He gasped in shock. "What's going on?"

Naruto then pushed himself off the floor and steadied himself on his feet, fighting against the overwhelming pain that wracked his body and the shaking of his legs. Whether the man deserved what was happening to him or not, Naruto just couldn't bear to watch him crying out in so much agony, and so he began to limp his way out of his room, before entering into the dark and empty hallway outside.

"Someone help!" He cried out desperately, in an attempt to garner some aid as he continued to move slowly. "Someone! Anyone! I don't know what happened!"

However, even despite his efforts, his injuries were simply too great to ignore any longer and soon Naruto came crashing down to his hands and knees. The sharp pain in his chest began to rise once more, only this time it was far more severe, and it was all the young blond could do to place his hand over his heart, before squeezing it tightly and scrunching the fabric of his shirt in an attempt to find relief. His breathing became heavier, the pace faster and darkness began to follow shortly afterwards.

_'Why does it hurt so much? Why is this happening?'_

The last thing Naruto saw before his world was consumed by shadows, was a pair of dark blue high-heeled shoes clambering towards him. Then, nothing...

xxx

"So, it's finally happened huh? I knew this little monster would do something like this sooner or later. We should have gotten rid of him sooner."

The dark world that engulfed Naruto's senses slowly began to peel away once more, his sense brought back to him first by the dull throbbing pain in his forehead and then by the malicious voice that caught his hearing. As his eyes finally began to open to reveal the damp tattered room around him once more, the boy's gaze was met with the visage of one of the officials that ran the orphanage, whose words had pulled him from the darkness.

Her long blond hair and deep green eyes quickly identified her and the mere sight of such a presence only served to cause a lump in Naruto's throat. Her stare was filled with the same cruelty and arrogance as the rest of them, holding the subject of their gaze with nothing but discontent. This wasn't the first time Naruto had met her either. She would often show up after one of his many 'accidents' or when he tried to resist a beating. He knew her only as Mikoto-san, having never heard her last name mentioned out loud, although he suspected that she would strike him even if he ever simply bothered to utter her name, even if only as a whisper.

"It seems you've caused us a bit of trouble" The woman began again, once she noticed the fearful blue eyes staring back up at her. "Your little stunt back their has landed our dear warden in hospital, apparently comatose. He suffered from some sort of severe trauma and they aren't even sure when or _if_ he'll wake up."

Naruto felt his heart sink at her words.

_'Did I cause that?'_ He thought bitterly to himself. _'No, I couldn't have. I wouldn't hurt someone like that... I...'_

"So, what do you have to say for yourself?" Mikoto's voice interrupted once again, bringing the youngster back from his thoughts.

Naruto simply looked up to meet her hardened gaze as she stepped up to the bed he now lay upon, before letting out a deep sigh. He already knew he would be blamed regardless of what he said and he knew the punishment would be severe. However, even despite that, he still tried his best to explain, even if it was to ease his own conscience more than anything else.

"WELL!"

"I... I don't know what happened, I swear!" Naruto began uneasily. "One minute he was standing in front of me and the next he was on the floor, screaming. He..."

"Enough!" The boy was cut off before he could even finish his words. It was almost as though the woman before him never intended to give him that luxury in the first place and if the look on her face was anything to go by, she was definitely angry. Naruto couldn't help his shaking.

"I don't know who you think I am or if you just think I'm just plain stupid, but this charade has gone on long enough." Mikoto continued in the uneasy silence. Naruto then watched in fear as the woman marched over to his door, before turning back only to finish speaking. "This will be the last time you are given the chance to cause any more harm. The Sandaime may have placed you here in this orphanage out of compassion, but I can no longer allow a monster like you to live in our presence."

Mikoto then walked out of the door and disappeared into the darkness, only to be replaced by two tall, heavily built men. Naruto simply gulped in dread as the two figures made their way over to where he was lying, before hauling him out of the bed with little care of being gentle, despite his wounds.

"Wait, what are you going to do to me? Please don't hurt me," The blond pleaded desperately. His words only seemed to fall on deaf ears, his question remaining unanswered.

It wasn't long before they took him out of the room that had been his home for as long as he could remember, dragging him down the dark and musty hallways that held all the memories of his life up to that point and finally arriving at the front doors that led into the street outside. The two men wasted little time in their disposal and soon Naruto found himself being brutally hurled out into the rain and mud, his body only coming to a halt after sliding some distance through the grimy mess.

"Get lost and don't ever bother coming back, monster!" One of them shouted out after him just as Naruto managed to find his feet. The moment was short lived, however, as a small ruck-sack was tossed out just as recklessly as the boy before it, hitting the young blond soundly across the head and bringing him back down into the mud again.

Naruto could still hear the sounds of laughter filtering through the wall of rain as the two men closed the doors behind him. Once they were gone from view, the subject of their humor finally began to pick himself up again, managing just barely to find his balance as he knelt there in the seemingly never ending storm. He took a quick glance at the backpack just a short distance to his left, which now made up the entirety of his possessions, and let out an anguished groan, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

"Why...?" Naruto choked, trying to make sense of his predicament. "Why do they keep calling me a monster? What did I do to deserve this?"

If anyone was looking, they would have never known that Naruto was crying as he sat there hopelessly, with the rain that washed over him perfectly disguising his tears. Only his reddened eyes would have given away any evidence of the fact if one looked closely enough, and even that was hardly noticeable passed the swelling bruises that marred his face. The rain was a surprising comfort in this time of turmoil and despite the cold it brought with its downfall, for some reason, Naruto was glad for its presence.

After giving himself some time to calm down, the youngster finally managed to push himself back up onto his quivering legs. He wasn't sure if it was the cold that made him shake so much, or simply his own weakness, but it didn't really matter anymore. Naruto then retrieved his belongings, which had surprisingly been spared from being contaminated by too much dirt and began to make his journey away from the orphanage one step at a time.

He wasn't sure where he was going or if he even had any hope for a future now that his only home was taken from him, all he knew was that he felt exhausted and sleep was the only comfort that remained an option to him. It took some time but Naruto finally stumbled upon a dark alleyway, its narrow passage devoid of any other company or life that might have made his night that much more unforgiving.

Pleased that he was alone, he limped over to a nearby dumpster, before sinking down into the crevice it formed where the steel structure met the wall. He then shoved his backpack into the corner for use as a pillow, before resting his head down against it and closing his eyes. Naruto could still feel the remnant pain in his chest, but he was too tired to even care anymore.

_'I guess... I guess this is my new home.' _The boy thought bitterly._ "No. I don't have a home anymore. I don't have anything...'_

After that, he finally slipped into a fragile slumber, his body still shivering from the cold that seeped into his bones. It was the only movement that betrayed any signs of life in the child as he lay there in the unforgiving storm, a life that was on the verge of a great change that even Naruto could have never imagined.

xxx

Dawn...

As the last few vestiges of storm clouds finally began to break away from the skyline, the radiant rays of morning sunlight that hid behind their curtain of darkness were finally able to shine through for the first time. As if to greet the new found blessing of light and warmth, birds began to frolic and sing merrily, filling the air with their cheerful calls and bringing with them a sense of calm and tranquility.

The rain that had fallen the night before began to dry away as well, with the muddy, drenched roads quickly turning to dry dust over the window of only an hour or two. Even the darkened alleyway that held a small, sleeping figure curled up in its shadows, became drenched in the first rays of hope after a short time and soon Naruto's body felt the warm touch of a gentle comfort caressing against his skin. Moments later, as if to answer an unspoken call, two blue eyes slowly began to peel open, revealing to their owner the promising sight of a new dawn as it greeted his tired and hazy vision.

"Am I... still alive?" Naruto croaked weakly. He had half expected to never wake up again, given his condition and the harsh elements he had to endure.

Somewhat relieved that he was still, in fact, in the world of the living, Naruto then began to stretch himself out as best as he could, reviving his tired and aching muscles. It was quite painful, considering his injuries, but he was surprised that he could even move at all. Once he had woken himself up somewhat, he then moved to stand to his feet, before dusting himself off from the now dried dirt stains that marred his otherwise white shirt. It was still torn and tattered from the treatment he had received the night before, but the blood that had previously stained it had mostly been washed away by the rain, with only small traces still barely visible.

That didn't mean it would be alright to be seen in the less that presentable attire though, especially if he had the intention of going to the academy that day.

And so the boy removed the effectively ruined article of clothing, drawing it off from his back before holding it out in front of himself to better inspect. Even he noticed the dejected sigh that instinctively escaped his lips at the mere sight of it. There were tears and frays all over the fabric, in fact it would be more accurate to say that it was hard finding a decent patch of fabric in between the tears. One particular gaping hole was big enough for Naruto to stick his hand through right to the other side.

Sighing, the blond then turned to retrieve his backpack, which would have held what little change of clothes he had. However, much to the youngster's distress, the corner near the dumpster that the item had once inhabited as his nighttime pillow was now empty of his belongings.

It had been stolen. He hadn't even been on the streets for more than one night and all his belongings were already gone. All Naruto had left were the clothes that he had worn through the night and the marks that his caretakers had made sure to inflict on his body. The young blond could feel a bitter taste forming in his mouth and the evidence of tears welling up in his eyes, but he quickly shook them away, knowing all too well that they would do him little good at that time.

"I guess I'll just have to go to the ninja academy like this then," Naruto sighed, before redressing himself with the only shirt he had. "I wonder what the others will think when they see me like this. They probably wouldn't even care." He then made his way out of the alley and towards the ninja academy where he was taught.

Having lived in the orphanage all his life, Naruto was never really allowed to go outside into the village alone. He was simply confined to the most isolated room in the building and mostly forgotten, save for his nightly visits. The only other time anyone came near him was when he was given his daily meal, and even that was barely sufficient enough to nourish him properly.

The only circumstance under which he was allowed to leave the orphanage, was to attend the academy for his schooling as a shinobi, and even then his wardens would often attempt to delay his efforts in that regard, often keeping him locked away as long as possible without overdoing it so as to alert anyone to their actions. Of course, Iruka, their class teacher, had always dismissed the boy's late showing as Naruto simply trying to be disruptive to his class and it hurt the youngster to think that the man felt that he was nothing more than an inconvenience. Even still, he never told anyone the truth about his plight, mostly out of fear and shame. Naruto just wasn't sure if he could ever live with the knowledge of his peers seeing him as a fragile child whose only purpose was to exist for the sick enjoyment of those around him. He felt ashamed and weak and he never wanted anyone to see him that way.

The academy provided his only real reprieve from a world of pain and isolation. His hopes of becoming a strong shinobi who people would respect and be proud of were, really, the only dreams he had left and he most certainly wasn't going to let them die now, especially after he had already lost everything else.

It was only after a few minutes of walking through the mostly deserted village streets, that Naruto finally found himself looking over the comforting site of the academy grounds. He was particularly pleased that he hadn't bumped into any disgruntled villagers on his way there, but that fleeting thought didn't delay his journey into the safety of the walls before him.

Once he was inside the bright halls, it was almost as though a heavy burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. All of his fears, all of his tension and even, in some ways, his pain, began to melt away, replaced by a familiar warmth that only this place afforded him. He felt relieved for the first time in hours and it was a welcomed comfort indeed.

Naruto knew that, even here in this place, there were still those that regarded him with the same cold and uncaring eyes that he was subjected to at his former home. However, for some reason, such gestures didn't bother him as much. That was mostly due to the fact that no-one in the academy had ever physically harmed him or even approached him for that matter. Perhaps it was because of all the numerous shinobi that filled the building, or the watchful eyes of Iruka himself that had stayed their hands. He knew that it was the third Hokage that insisted he be allowed to train at the academy in the first place, so he assumed that any misconduct, especially from the very ninja that served the old man, would be dealt with harshly.

Right now, however, the halls were mostly empty. Due to the simple fact that Naruto no longer conformed to the rising times of the orphanage, he had arrived unusually early on this particular day and even when he finally found himself inside the very classroom in which he was taught, there wasn't a single soul in sight.

"I guess this means I'm here first." The boy mumbled aimlessly to himself.

Naruto took a moment to survey his surroundings, ensuring that no-one had somehow eluded his notice. Once he was satisfied that he was indeed alone, he moved over to the isle where he had sat every day and plonked down in his own seat. Letting out a deep, tired yawn that he didn't know he had been holding, the boy then rested his head against the solid wooden desk, with his fatigue once again unexpectedly catching up to him. It was a miracle that he had made it to the academy at all, with the injuries and stress his body had incurred, and so it was only natural that he soon found himself the victim of his own exhaustion, as sleep claimed him once more.

Minutes later, unbeknown to the quietly sleeping youngster, the academy grew lively with the shuffling of feet and noisy chatter as students began to make their way to their classrooms. Silent whispers began to carry across the air as Naruto's own class began to fill as well, but he simply remained blissfully unaware of the curious stares and pointing fingers that directed their way to his slumbering form. Once the others had settled down around him, the class teacher himself finally made his way inside, before calling it to silence and drawing everyone's attention to the front.

He was a fairly gentle looking young man, with dark brown hair tied up into a pony-tail above his head and a clearly defined scar running across his face over the bridge of his nose. Known to Naruto as Iruka-sensei, he was the only figure in the boy's life who did not seem to hold any malice or loathing for the youngster. As such, he was also the one man that Naruto admired the most and the one he aspired to gain acceptance from.

"Alright, good morning class." The young man began, drawing everyone's attention to himself. "As you all should already know, tomorrow we are going to hold another important assessment exam to measure your skills and ascertain whether you are all ready for further advancement into the academy's training regime. Those who fail the exam will be held back for further training so that they can catch you up with the rest of the class."

Up until this point in the academy, the students had mostly been restricted to more basic jutsu , as well as standard combat forms and strategies. An assessment exam would be held once every six months to record the progress of each student relative to the expected parameters of advancement and those who failed to reach that would be held back for additional training until they were ready to move on.

Some of the jutsu that had been learned up until that point included the henge, kawarimi and bunshin techniques, the last of which Naruto himself had particular difficulty with. This was mostly because they were the safest to use for the younger students and their far smaller chakra reserves, not to mention they held the least risk of causing damage to either themselves, or those around them.

Once Iruka had finished explaining the finer details of what was expected of his charges and the consequences involved therein, the sounds of muffled complaints could easily be made out spilling across the room, with many of the students less than happy about the prospect of an examination of any kind. One particular youngster, a boy with hair similar in style and colour to his teacher, could only sigh despondently, before voicing his own complaints in a less than conspicuous manner.

"Man this really bites. Tests are troublesome as it is, without all the added pressure, but mom would kill me if I didn't pass." The youngster then caught notice of the sleeping blond in the very next row in front of him, causing his eyebrows to raise curiously as he regarded the unmoving form.

"Well, I guess Naruto won't be passing then," he remarked bluntly once more. However, it was then that he noticed the tattered state of his fellow student's clothing, causing his curiosity to grow that much more. "I wonder what happened to him."

"Isn't it obvious Shikamaru?" Another voice broke out, drawing the said boy's troubled gaze over to the blond girl seated next to him. Seeing that she had his attention, she simply continued in her rant. "He's probably been playing some kind of prank again and just got himself into trouble," the girl announced in a 'matter of fact' tone. "It serves him right if you ask me, I'm glad he's not going to pass. At least we'll get rid of the dobe now."

Shikamaru simply shook his head despondently, before muttering something about troublesome girls under his breath. "We don't know that for sure, Ino," he finally retorted. "Maybe we should tell Iruka-sensei..."

"Tell him what!" The girl snapped back, stopping the Nara in his tracks.

"Yes, what is it you want to tell me?" Both students turned to the voice that had interrupted them, only to see Iruka glaring impatiently in their direction. He had noticed their idle chatter from a mile away and was beginning to grow irritated by the interruption.

"Well, that idiot Naruto is sleeping in class again!" Ino began. "He's always going to be a dead last if you ask me, especially if he can't even keep his eyes open during class!" Everyone turned to the subject of her words only to see Naruto's motionless figure as he continued to slumber away. It was all Iruka could do to hold back the twitch in his left eye.

"Oooh! That boy is going to give me such a headache!" The young man growled.

Iruka then proceeded to march angrily up towards to Naruto's row, before walking over to the blond's location. He was just about ready to swat the boy on the back of his head, but a second glance quickly brought is attention to the tattered and torn shirt on Naruto's back, as well as the lingering evidence of what looked barely visible blood stains.

Suddenly, Iruka's fury began to melt away and a subtle feeling of dread quickly rose its place. The chunin hastily strode passed the curious Inuzuka that sat next to the subject of his concern, before placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder and giving him a gentle shake.

"Hey, Naruto, it's time to wake up now," he offered gently, his tone far softer than even he himself expected.

The chunin's attempts to wake him, however, proved to be fruitless and Naruto simply remained unmoving despite his touch. Small fits of laughter began to resound amongst the other students watching, their amusement regarding the situation quickly becoming apparent. Seeing that his first attempt was too gentle, Iruka then tried it again, this time shaking the boy more vigorously than before in a desperate attempt to break his sleep.

After a few more strained tugs, Naruto's eyes suddenly shot open, before he yelped out in panic and fear, lashing out in defense in the process. Luckily for Iruka, his reflexes were honed for such unexpected attacks, and his speed and training allowed him to easily catch the youngster's arm in mid flight, avoiding the impending blow. Naruto quickly realized where it is that he was and whom it was that he had almost struck, and couldn't help it as his own voice began to stammer precariously.

"I-I... I'm sorry Iruka-sensei. I didn't mean to..."

"That's all right Naruto," Iruka cut him off, trying to subdue his panic. The chunin then took a moment to regard the figure before him, noting with a great deal of pain, the bruises that rounded Naruto's eyes and dotted across his cheeks. The blond was brimming with cuts, scratches and angry red marks that looked as if they were the result of some severe impact. Even the arm that the young chunin held firmly in his grasp was marked with the same evidence of Naruto's trauma and it only served to cause Iruka's expression to fall into a heavy frown.

But what caused his heart to sink the most, were Naruto's eyes. The boy's blue orbs were filled with an incredible amount of fear and panic, more so than Iruka would have ever imagined seeing in them, and he could even notices the unmistakable traces of guilt and shame as well.

"Naruto... what happened to you?" The scarred man gulped nervously. Naruto's eyes simply began to well up once more following the question, despite his best efforts to remain calm. However, before he could even answer, another voice called out from behind, breaking the silence that had since befallen them.

"Yea, what happened dobe! Get run over by a stampede! Or maybe the little prankster got caught with his own medicine!"

The rest of the class simply burst out laughing following the tasteless jab, causing Naruto to jump from his seat, before running out of the classroom as fast as his feet would allow. Iruka could only watch with a cringe as he disappeared into the hallway, his hands covering his face to hide the bruises of his shame and no doubt his tears as well. Such a lack of compassion only made the man that much more upset and soon his concern grew into a terrible anger.

"Alright, that's enough all of you!" He growled darkly, silencing the class with his surprising change in demeanor. "If I hear another word about this from anyone, that unfortunate individual will have detention for the next week. Got it?"

Iruka didn't even wait for an answer, nor did he really care for it at the time. All he cared about right now was Naruto, and so he quickly followed the boy's trail into the hallway, leaving the rest of his stunned students behind. He never noticed the pair of pale lavender eyes that followed him as he exited the room, nor the deep concern that inhabited their gaze.

xxx

Iruka had searched the halls desperately for almost half an hour, with no success in finding his missing student. It was only a while later that the man finally found himself stumbling upon the large doors that led outside to the school grounds at the rear of the academy, the only place he had yet to sweep. And, as luck would have it, just as he made his way outside, the young chunin noticed, with a great deal of relief, the tell-tale mop of golden-blond hair glistening in the sunlight, betraying the location of their owner as Naruto sat quietly atop a nearby swing.

The youngster had not yet noticed his arrival and simply continued to rock himself gently back and forth, but Iruka could already clearly make out the expression of sadness that marred his features despite the distance that separated them. The teacher took a moment to draw a deep breath, one that he held in his lungs for far longer a time than what was natural, before releasing it in a heavy sigh. He then made his way up to Naruto's side, before seating himself on the swing beside the boy and drawing Naruto's attention to his presence.

There was a brief moment of awkward silence shared between the two, only interrupted by what sounded like heavy sobs coming from the younger, with neither one speaking a single whisper. It was only a few minutes later before Iruka finally broke the quiet with heavy and solemn words.

"They hurt you, didn't they?"

Another, somewhat heavier sob was the only response the man received, but it was all he needed to confirm his suspicions. Having received his answer, Iruka quickly moved from his position on his swing and knelt down in front of Naruto, gaining his eyes in the process. Looking into the deep blue orbs, they were filled with so much pain and suffering that the chunin almost couldn't believe that he was looking at the same boy he had always seen before. The feisty blond had always seemed so cheerful and exuberant during class before, with more than his fair share of mischievous flair that did well to increase Iruka's pain-killer consumption throughout the year.

But the scarred chunin understood right there and then, that this was not the same Naruto he had come to know. In fact, he was almost certain now that he had never really known Naruto at all to begin with and that the grief he saw staring back at him through saddened blue eyes at that very moment, was the real boy he had never managed to see before.

The man then did the only thing he could think of at the time. He moved his arms around Naruto's back and pulled him into a tight hug, causing him to slip off the swing that had held him up and bringing him to his knees as he was held tightly in stronger arms. Naruto himself flinched at the sudden and foreign turn of events that he now found himself swept up in. Iruka could feel the boy's body stiffen in his grip, almost as though he was startled or frightened, but before he could think on it, the blond spoke up in his stead.

"I-Iruka-sensei…. w-what are you d-doing?" Naruto stammered uneasily, unable to discern his sensei's actions.

"What do you mean, what am I doing? I'm giving you a hug. It's what people do for someone they care about when they want to comfort them." Naruto's eyes only widened at the man's words, while the tears he had tried to hold back before finally allowed themselves to fall. Someone cared for him. Iruka cared for him. It was something he had never truly felt before, but the comfort and warmth the man's hold brought him was worth more than he could ever imagine.

Soon, the youngster's head was buried completely into his teacher's shoulders, relishing in the embrace offered to him as he released all of his emotions in that single moment of weakness. Iruka, all the while, simply continued to hold him tightly, stroking his back in a soothing manner in an attempt to ease his tension and guide his strained breaths.

"That's it," the man offered gently. "Just let it all out. I won't let go until you're ready. Just take as much time as you need."

It was only then that Iruka noticed something that he had otherwise been unaware of up until that point. For some reason, he could feel his own emotions beginning to stir as well. The feelings were foreign to him, almost as though they weren't his own, and the chunin silently wondered if they somehow belonged to the boy in his arms. However, he quickly shook off his thoughts on the matter, saving them for a later and less desperate time to address the issue.

Once Naruto had spent all of his emotions, Iruka finally allowed himself to pull away from their hold, watching silently as he gave the child a moment to wipe away his puffy eyes. For a moment, he thought he saw what looked like a flash of gold flashing in the child's otherwise blue irises, but he simply brushed it off as a reflection of the morning sunlight playing tricks on his mind.

"So, are you feeling better now?" The chunin inquired, once he was sure Naruto was ready to talk again. The blond nodded his head silently, for a lack of any better response. After all, he had to admit, he did feel a bit better.

"Good," Iruka sighed. "Look Naruto, I'll talk to the Sandaime and see if we can resolve this issue. If your caretakers at the orphanage have been mistreating you, then we need to handle the situation as soon as possible and deal with those responsible." Naruto just shook his head in silent disapproval.

"It doesn't matter any more," he mumbled meekly in response. "They kicked me out last night, so I won't be going back in any case. I have no-where to live anymore." Iruka's eyes dropped at the sound of his student's words.

"W... what happened? Why did they kick you out?" This time, Naruto had to think on the question for a moment. After all, even he wasn't sure what had actually happened that night.

"I…. I don't really know." He finally managed to respond. "They... they said it was something about me putting one of the wardens in a coma. I think they mean he's sleeping and he can't wake up. You see, while he was beating me up something happened..."

"What!" Iruka growled, interrupting Naruto as he spoke.

He had already suspected what had happened if the evidence of Naruto's wounds was anything to go by, but hearing the words drip from the youngster's own lips suddenly made it feel that much more real. Infuriated, the chunin quickly rose to his feet, fully intent on storming over to the orphanage right at that very moment to give its residents a piece of his mind.

"When I get my hands on those filthy bastards, I'm gonna..." However, before he could even get far, a small hand suddenly gripped his arm, causing him to turn back only to see Naruto staring longingly back up at him.

"Please, don't Iruka-sensei," the blond pleaded desperately. "I think I've done enough damage already. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me and all it'll do is cause more trouble anyway."

Iruka couldn't quite believe his ears as he regarded Naruto's request, in fact it was hard for him to conceive the thought that the boy could be so merciful after what he was put through. However, Naruto's pleading eyes finally won over his conscience in the end and he quickly calmed down. A heavy breath was the only evidence to give away his overwhelming frustration.

"Aright... alright. I won't do anything, _yet_." The last word was emphasized heavily on Iruka's part, although Naruto didn't seem to notice the fact. "How about I take you out for some ramen so we can talk about what happened? Then you can explain everything from the start."

Naruto gave a silent nod of approval regarding his teacher's suggestion. He then took a hold of the hand that Iruka offered him, before being led off the field. Iruka didn't even go back to his class to explain what was going on and, at this point in time, Naruto was the only one he was concerned about. He couldn't help his wandering thoughts as he continued to relay everything he had learned so far.

What could such a young child do to put a grown man in hospital so easily? From what Naruto had told him he was comatose, no less. He also pondered about the sudden sensation he felt when hugging the boy and what had caused him to feel those foreign emotions. He would have to find out what he could and talk to the Hokage about this new development as soon as humanly possible.

However, first he would have to get Naruto some new clothes and check his wounds.

* * *

**AN:** As you can see, for those who read the original, the story starts out with similar events, with a few changing factors that will have a greater impact later on, but most of the more prominent changes will only start showing further down the line. For one thing, Naruto's personality will be somewhat different from the original story, but you will see more of that as we go. I don't want to spoil anything.

Just one last note. If anyone wants to review just to complain about this rewrite, then let me just warn you first. It's my story and if I feel like trying to make it better, it is my right to do so. I don't have to write it at all if I don't want to and, to be quite frank, I no longer have the patience for readers who are more than willing to take advantage of someone's hard work only to complain about stupid and petty things afterwards. Constructive criticism is fine by me, but then it must be genuine and meaningful and not a waste of my time. I don't want anyone hijacking my story anymore and if it becomes more of a burden to write than it is a pleasure, I simply won't be posting my work on this site anymore.

On the flip side, if you do want to ask questions, feel free to do so and I will answer them as best as I can.

Sorry about that rant, I just wanted to make my position clear from the start. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Credits:**

Writer - Me of course! XD  
Beta - Captain Pickles


	2. Chapter 2 Searching for Answers

**Eyes of the Broken Soul**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.

This fanfic and the ideas therein do belong to me, 'Tenrai Senshi'. If you want to use it in any way shape or form, you'll need my permission first. All original characters also belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

**Warning:** Naruto is a bit OOC in this story due to circumstances explained, most notably in the earlier chapters. Some of the other characters may become OOC as well, mostly due to different circumstances taking place, but that isn't 100% certain yet. If you don't like it, don't complain because I've already warned you.

**AN:** Well, I managed to get this out within a reasonable time-frame considering how busy my week was. Just to let you know, the first few chapters may be somewhat similar in terms of the overall story to the original. Most of the changes will only be noticeable a bit further down the line. However, you will probably notice a drastic difference in the quality of the writing and you should already notice a bit of a difference in Naruto's personality as well by the end of this one.

I hope you enjoy! ^ ^

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Searching for Answers**

"Man, my legs are killing me. If I don't stop walking now, I think I'm gonna turn into a puddle of jelly."

Iruka let out an almost blissful sigh as he heard the soft mumblings that escaped Naruto's lips as they continued down the busy streets of Konoha, although they were somewhat incoherent thanks to the shopping bags that seemed to tower out of his hands while successfully hiding most of his face from view, a reward from their shopping trip that resulted in some new clothes for Naruto. The chunin had to wonder how his younger charge managed to see where he was walking at all, given the obstacle that barred his vision, but somehow the boy managed regardless, save for a brief stumble here and there.

"Well, it isn't too much farther now anyway," Iruka offered, grinning slightly. "Then we can finally have that lunch I promised you, provided you survive the trip without crashing into anything."

Naruto simply pouted as he watched his sensei chuckle softly to himself, before continuing on his way with his new possessions firmly in hand. Of course, Iruka had offered to carry the bags himself in an effort to relieve Naruto of that burden, but the boy was so excited about his new belongings that it was difficult for him to even imagine parting with them just yet, and the bright smile that seemed to be plastered almost permanently across his face was enough to tell Iruka that it was best to let him enjoy the moment.

Besides, there was something about it that Iruka couldn't quite put his finger on. The smile he saw on Naruto's face was so different to the cheeky, fox-like grin the youngster had always adopted before. It seemed calmer, brighter and more genuine than it had in the past and Iruka couldn't help it as his heart welled up simply from having witnessed such a display of warmth.

For the most part, the pair had trudged through what could only be described as a considerably busy morning. After having left the academy, Iruka had taken Naruto to one of Konoha's medical centers to see to his considerable amount of injuries. He didn't seem too pleased about the prospect at all, if his consistent frown was anything to go by at the time, but Iruka managed to goad him on with a few words of encouragement and reassurance.

Unfortunately, despite the chunin's own efforts, the medical staff stationed at the center were hardly pleasant, which didn't help the situation in any regard. It took a great deal of time and frustration for Iruka to get any of them to even look over Naruto in the first place and even then he was far less than satisfied with their scant efforts.

Naruto was barely even given a simple overview and Iruka was almost shocked to notice the manner in which their doctor opted to simply ignore the bruises and cuts that clearly marked his body, as if they weren't even there to begin with. To say that he was angry would have been a grave understatement on anyone's part, however, after a few rather violent threats that even managed to shock Naruto, the medical practitioner was soon checking the boy more thoroughly, scanning over his muscles and organs to ascertain whether any more severe internal injuries had been suffered.

Iruka could barely restrain his frown when he read the diagnostics report that he received shortly after. According to the review, Naruto had received numerous fractures and lacerations from his prior treatment, as well as bruised or torn muscle tissue and some punctured blood vessels. It was surprising that he was still able to move at all, given the near endless list of injuries that filled the frighteningly long sheet of paper, and Iruka silently considered breaking his earlier promise of not bringing retribution to the ones responsible for his student's condition.

After all he knew a few talented individuals who could more than easily make their lives a living hell. One Morino Ibiki came to mind as a possible tool for vengeance, although the sadistic temptress that was Mitarashi Anko had crossed his thoughts as well.

Luckily for Naruto, however, and for Iruka's increasingly frail heart rate, none of the boy's internal organs were too severely damaged and it seemed as though Naruto's wounds were also healing at a remarkably rapid rate, much to his teacher's surprise. After finally being given an 'all clear' for the time being, they then proceeded to their next destination for the day and one that held far more promise than the last.

After they had left the hospital, Iruka could already see Naruto's face lighten up considerably. It was almost as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his soul and the chunin watching over him silently wondered if this was, perhaps, not the first time that Naruto was subjected to such poor treatment at the hands of other hospital staff before. It would have explained his apparent dislike, or perhaps even fear, of such places.

It was only a while later that the wandering pair had finally found themselves entering into another store of Iruka's choosing, only this one held an assortment of clothing and materials of all shapes and sizes. Naruto allowed his eyes to wander over the bright tapestries and intricate patterns that met his eyes, as well as the various and unique fashions that many of the outfits adhered to. He was somewhat confused as to why Iruka wanted to stop at that specific store but soon their purpose there became apparent.

It was already painfully clear to Iruka that Naruto had no possessions left to call his own other than the barely tangible clothes on his back, so it only warmed his heart that much more when he saw the boy's eyes light up life fires after he told him that they would be buying him a new outfit to replace his tattered wares. Naruto could hardly contain his excitement as he darted off to browse through the contents of the store, opting to try one outfit on after the other while Iruka took the role of his inadvertent fashion adviser.

The chunin couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips when he saw Naruto almost leap out of the change rooms sporting a bright orange jump suit, his face nearly split in half with a wide and exuberant grin. However, the man's common sense told him that it was better to advise against the outfit even if it meant breaking Naruto's heart, and after a convincing speech about how 'brighter wasn't always better' and how a shinobi would have to avoid being seen, Naruto seemed to accept his reasoning despite the dejected sigh that still managed to escape his lips.

Eventually, the cheery blond had settled on a deep blue, short sleeved shirt that seemed to match his own eyes in colour, as well as a pair of black pants that reached just passed his knees in length. On the back of the shirt was an embroidered, dark orange spiral, with similar but only smaller designs on the base of either sleeve. Naruto had also replaced his old and tattered footwear with a pair of new, black shinobi sandals that rose up to his ankles and allowed his toes to show through the front.

After receiving Iruka's approval of his choice, the blond practically bounced with his teacher over to the counter to check everything out. Unfortunately, the woman who served them seemed to recognize Naruto and regarded him in a similar manner to the doctors they had previously visited. However, once again, Iruka's unusually 'persuasive demeanor' won over in the end and he managed to negotiate a price that still managed to leave his wallet relatively intact, much to his relief.

Once that was out of the way, and once the clothing had been packed to go, along with some extra articles to ensure that Naruto at least had a decent wardrobe, Iruka handed the young boy his new belongings and watched with stinging pain in his heart as the youngster squeezed the packaging tightly against his chest, hugging it in an almost possessive manner. The boy's eyes seemed to stir with a mix of emotions along with a lingering sense of disbelief, with their gaze now lost into nothingness as he simply stood there silently, trying to sort through his own feelings.

It was almost as though the mere prospect of being offered such a kind gift was difficult for Naruto to comprehend, but soon a bright smile flashed across his face and lifted his expression once more, clearly defining the evidence of his joy. For a moment, Iruka could have sworn that he saw the same flash of gold in his eyes that he had noticed earlier that day, only this time there was no sunlight to blame it on.

And so, the couple now found themselves traveling to their final destination for the morning and to the long awaited lunch that Iruka had promised his student. It wasn't long before the smell of freshly cooked ramen began to fill the atmosphere around them and even Iruka could see Naruto's nose start to wrinkle curiously as he took a few whiffs of the lingering fragrance left in its wake.

"Is that really food?" The boy almost sighed out, enraptured by the rich aroma. "Man, it smells so good I can almost taste it on my mouth." Iruka simply laughed at his expression.

"That it is indeed," he smiled. "You know Naruto, if you keep drooling like that, you'll dehydrate before we even get the chance to eat anything at all." The said blond quickly snapped back to reality at Iruka's words, before smiling sheepishly and wiping away the perpetrating river of saliva that ran down his cheeks, both of which had awkwardly turned red in colour.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei".

Moments later, the two arrived at their destination, entering into a small stall with a sign out front that read 'Ichiraku's'. At first glance, there wasn't anything particularly special about the store. It was scantly decorated, save for a few brightly coloured frills and weaved tapestries that hung from the walls, and the kitchen that was easily visible from the front almost seemed like nothing more than a mess of burning stoves and scattered cutlery. However, even despite its simplicity, for some reason it felt warm and inviting to Naruto.

Their arrival was quickly noticed by a large and somewhat old man behind the counter, who quickly pulled himself away from a boiling pot in order to address them, a smile of recognition gracing his lips as he did so.

"Well, good day to you Iruka! It's good to see coming to visit me after all this time. It's been, what, a few months since the last time you had a good ol' bowl of ramen?"

"It's good to see you too, Teuchi-sama," Iruka replied courtly, bowing slightly. "Unfortunately I've been unusually busy lately, what with teaching all these little twerps at the academy and all. You know how much of a pain they can be."

The chunin then gave an accusing glance at his younger company, causing Naruto to pout childishly, before pulling his tongue out in defiance. Noticing the extra guest, whose short frame had otherwise been well hidden behind the counter, Teuchi turned to the young boy before smiling brightly, a friendly gesture that took Naruto somewhat by surprise.

"Well hello there little one," he offered cheerfully. "And who might you be?" Naruto simply scratched the back of his head, not particularly fond of the attention he was suddenly getting, before lowering his head and answering softly.

"Um... my name is Uzumaki Naruto," he barely managed to croak out, afraid that the mere mention of his name would somehow bring him misfortune. He wasn't sure what it was about him that made people hate him, but he was pretty convinced that he would no longer be welcome in the man's store once his identity was known.

For a moment, Teuchi simply remained silent, opting only to scratch his chin in thought as he regarded the now timid form that stood before him. With every second that passed in quiet, Naruto's head only seemed to sink that much lower and it was almost as if he was awaiting some sort of reprisal that had yet to come.

"Naruto eh?" The old man finally huffed again, allowing a smile to play across his lips. "Well, that is a fine name, isn't it now?"

Naruto's head shot up so quickly, Iruka could have almost sworn that he heard it click and it wasn't long before the boy himself was smiling happily again, pleased that the old man that hosted them seemed to be far friendlier than he had experienced in the encounters he had suffered before.

"Well, come on boy. I'm quite sure I heard your stomach growling long before you walked through into my stall. So what will it be for the young master today?"

Iruka, seeing Naruto's excitement reemerge, quickly handed him a nearby menu and let him read it for himself while he looked over his own. Naruto opted only to stare at the canvas at first, regarding the symbols that marked its surface with a great deal of concentration while moving his lips as he looked through each line, almost as though he were trying to mouth out the words. It was only a while later that he turned back to face his teacher again and Iruka could only watch with knotted stomach as the boy's face grew into a discomforting frown.

"Iruka-sensei…" Naruto finally mumbled, staring up at his teacher with shameful eyes as well as a tinge of embarrassement. "I… I can't understand what it says."

Iruka could feel his heart plummet in his chest as Naruto's words reached his hearing. He could only imagine how poor the boy's treatment at the orphanage if he couldn't even read properly. The reason for his poor grades at the academy was suddenly becoming all too clear now and Iruka could only berate himself for the fact that he had never questioned it before.

"Alright, don't worry about it Naruto." He finally responded, sighing. "Here, let me help you with that."

The chunin then leaned over to his distressed pupil and began to recite the menu's contents, helping the boy decipher the words for himself as well as gently correcting his mistakes. After a few minutes of working through it, as well as a few curious stares from their remarkably patient host, Naruto finally looked up to Teuchi again and called out his order.

"I'll have one bowl of miso ramen!" Iruka then quickly leaned over and whispered into his ear again. After giving of a small nod following the silent instruction, Naruto tried once again, only this time rephrasing his words into something more favorable.

"Can I have one bowl of miso ramen… please?" The last word was emphasized with an odd smile on Naruto's part and the old man listening simply grinned in response, as if to silently approve his well-mannered request.

"Of course you can little one." Teuchi then turned to Iruka. "And what can I get for our other guest?"

"Oh, I'll just have one bowl of pork ramen please." Iruka responded just as politely.

Teuchi smiled in approval once more and then turned to see to their meals, but just before he made his way to the back of the stand he caught sight of the bruises around Naruto's eyes, which he had only just noticed despite the boy's efforts to hide them from view.

"What happened to you little one? Looks like you've been roughed up a bit…" He inquired uneasily, his eyes fixated on the soiled face before him. Iruka was about to open his mouth to answer the man's question, but Naruto quickly cut him off before he could speak.

"Oh that? Well you see… I… I just got into a fight at school that's all. Nothing to worry about." Naruto then allowed a smile to plaster across his face, as if to reaffirm the validity of his excuse and make it seem more genuine.

Teuchi still seemed somewhat uneasy, but his face seemed to relax a bit at the boy's explanation. He then turned to see to their food again, only stopping to call out to Naruto once more.

"I hope you showed the other kid not to mess with you again!"

"You bet ya!" Naruto grinned in reply, trying to sound as reassuring and as genuine as possible. However, as Iruka continued to watch him, he noticed the boy's face fall back into a frown soon afterwards, clearly betraying the truth of the matter to anyone who might have seen his failing expression.

_'It must have hurt for him to have to lie like that, just to keep those around him from worrying.'_ He thought quietly to himself.

The man then began to wonder just how many times Naruto had done the same with him in the past and he silently cursed himself for his own negligence on the matter. He couldn't help but feel guilty about Naruto's poor physical and emotional condition and the fact that he had never taken notice of it before.

After a few more minutes had passed by, two steaming bowls of ramen were finally placed in front of the two waiting guests. Iruka shot off another small glance towards his younger counterpart, to which Naruto gave a polite 'thank you' to the store owner, and then followed with his own 'thank you' before they both got stuck into their meals.

Iruka couldn't help his thoughts as they wandered over everything he had witnessed in Naruto so far. He could already tell that his caretakers hadn't taught him anything about proper manners or etiquette either and his lack of reading skills showed their neglect more than anything else, save for his injuries caused at their hands. Another thing that shocked the chunin watching over him was how fast Naruto seemed to shoot through his meal as well, gulping it down at an alarming rate as though he hadn't eaten in days.

It wasn't long before the bottom of the porcelain bowl became visible through the pool of soup that remained behind, which Naruto promptly finished off with a satisfied gulp as he drank it down.

**"That was the best food ever Iruka-sensei!"** The boy boasted happily, slapping a grin on his messy face as he emptied the bowl and planted it back down on the table.

Iruka giggled at the sight of his ramen filled cheeks and his warm smile. It almost completely hid away the bruises and marks that covered him, almost. However, despite the relief he felt seeing Naruto happy, the boy's mannerisms regarding something as simple cooked food begged another question, one that he decided was worth asking now that the moment had presented itself.

"So… Naruto, what exactly did they feed you at the orphanage anyway?" He inquired curiously. For a moment, Naruto's eyes seemed to lose their glimmer and Iruka almost immediately regretted his decision.

"Well, sometimes they would just give me leftovers after everyone else had finished their own food, that was if I was lucky." Naruto responded glumly. "The rest of the time I just got moldy bread that was already a week old."

Iruka felt his stomach knot sickeningly once more. Everything he had heard so far had almost prompted him into losing the food he had just eaten moments before. Oh yes, he would definitely be talking to Anko, there was no doubt about it now. Ibiki could torture what was left of those sickos after she satisfied herself with their screams. Revenge would be sweet indeed, but before Iruka could delve any deeper into his unusually sadistic thoughts, Naruto drew his wavering attention once more, tugging on his sleeve.

"Um… Iruka-sensei, can… can I have another bowl…. please?" He pleaded, allowing his big blue eyes to cast what seemed to be some sort of 'pity no jutsu' on his sensei. The chunin gave off a warm smile and nodded in approval, much to the boy's obvious glee.

xxx

A few minutes and eight bowls of ramen later, Iruka was starting to wonder if taking Naruto to lunch was such a good idea after all. The youngster was simply devouring every helping he was given with an unmatched ferocity and it was almost unnatural to see such a high volume of food disappearing into such a small frame without so much as a single sign of strain.

However, even despite the ever-growing threat to his wallet, Iruka couldn't help but smile as he watched Naruto continue to eat happily. By now, the boy's face was completely smeared with the evidence of his hunger, as trails of sauce and debris littered his cheeks. One particular offending noodle was hanging precariously beside his mouth and it only made Iruka laugh seeing it hanging on for dear life.

However, even despite the mess, he could still see Naruto's bright and cheery smile shining through the whole time, and that alone was enough to put the chunin at ease. He knew in his heart that he was doing something right, especially after seeing those eyes only a few hours before... eyes filled with so much sadness and pain.

Once Naruto had finished his last bowl, he allowed a deep sigh of satisfaction to escape his lips.

"Thanks a lot old man!" The boy announced cheerfully, allowing another bright smile to flash across his face. Teuchi simply nodded in approval of his courtesy, despite its robust nature, before taking the empty bowls to be washed, although he couldn't help but silently remark on how cleaned out they were already.

Seeing that Naruto was done, Iruka quickly grabbed a nearby serviette, before moving over to wipe his face of the contents of ramen that still clung firmly to his skin. Naruto giggled slightly as the cloth rubbed over his whisker marks, a seemingly natural reaction that betrayed their sensitivity, before opening his eyes again to look up at his sensei.

Iruka almost cringed at the sight of his innocent stare as his efforts to clean Naruto inadvertently revealed the bruises that still marred his face, bruises that had otherwise been hidden behind the dirt that had momentarily concealed their presence. He found it difficult to conceive the idea that Naruto could still even smile with a face that held so much evidence of his maltreatment and yet, the boy had shown a radiance that day that he had hardly seen before.

"Is something wrong Iruka-sensei?" Iruka snapped from his thoughts as Naruto addressed him softly, his gaze quickly being drawn down to the blue eyes that suddenly regarded him with curiosity.

"N-no, it's nothing at all," he stammered uneasily in response. "It's just... I think it's time we talked about what occurred last night. I know it's probably very hard to think about, but do you think it would be alright if you told me what happened?"

Naruto allowed a deep, shaky breath to escape his lips following Iruka's words. He knew the subject would be brought out sooner or later, but that fact alone didn't make it any easier to talk about.

"Well, it's like I was telling you," he finally began, albeit uneasily. "That big man came into my room and started to... well, he hit me and he didn't stop hitting me. He just carried on and on and I... I didn't know if it was ever going to end."

The boy took a deep sudden heave, an action that betrayed his growing emotions. However, even despite that, Iruka did not interrupt him. Instead, he simply opted to allow Naruto some time to collect himself. After a few uneasy moments, the boy continued.

"It happened every night, you see, so I wasn't really surprised to see him, but that still doesn't make it any easier you know." Iruka nodded his head in understanding, prompting the boy to continue.

"Anyway after a long time, well, it felt more like forever, he finally stopped. He didn't say anything, he just walked away. I thought it was over but then he just came back again in with this thing in his hand and that he said he was going to use it on me. It looked nasty and it had all these sharp edges on it, so I guess I kinda freaked out."

Naruto then bowed his head, almost shamefully.

"All I did was look into his eyes, I swear," he admitted regretfully. "But then he started going crazy. He fell over and started... he started screaming. It was... horrible..." Naruto's tone then began to sink into a near whisper as he continued.

"It... it looked painful. Like he was being tortured or something," he continued solemnly. "Anyway, after that, everyone was pretty mad at me. They said it was my fault that the man was in hospital. That's when they threw me out onto the streets and told me to never go back."

Once Naruto had finished with his explanation, Iruka could hear another heavy breath escaping his lips, no doubt a desperate attempt to release any built up tension that had otherwise welled up inside. The man then continued to sit there quietly for a moment, contemplating all the information he had been offered, while Naruto simply watched him silently.

_'It almost sounds like Naruto's warden was caught in a genjutsu of some sort,'_ Iruka thought quietly to himself. _'But Naruto hasn't learned any genjutsu at the academy and he still lacks the chakra control to even pull one off, so then, how could he have cast one last night?'_

Iruka then looked over to his younger companion and for a moment their eyes locked together. Seeing the deep blue irises that met his gaze, a thought suddenly snapped into his mind.

_'Wait, Naruto said something about looking into the man's eyes. That's when he started reacting. But, if Naruto's eyes have something to do with this, then that means...'_

The man simply shook his head in disbelief._ 'No, it can't be, there's no possible way Naruto could have a...' _He then remembered back to the first time he had looked into Naruto's eyes that day and odd reflection of colour he had seen in them, the same reflection he saw again later when they were shopping for clothes.

_'Oh kami...'_

"What's wrong Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka was once again snapped from his wandering thought by the softly spoken words of the boy in front of him. Looking back down again, he could easily make out the worry hidden within Naruto's expression, as well as a lingering sensation of guilt. Seeing the opportunity provided by the awkward silence, he decided it was the right time to ask the boy some questions to help clear his own thoughts on the matter.

"Naruto, did you see anything unusual when you looked into the man's eyes? You know, like anything out of the ordinary?"

Naruto seemed to think on the question for a moment, although Iruka understood his hesitation. After all if his suspicions were correct, the boy probably wouldn't understand much of what had happened, especially given the complexities of the situation.

After a few fleeting moments, Naruto finally answered.

"Well, things did seem to look a little different." He mumbled awkwardly. "When I looked at him, it was like everything was clear to me, clearer than they've ever been before. It was almost as though I could see inside of him, you know, all the feelings and the pain. He seemed... sad almost, like he had lost someone close to him long ago."

Naruto then paused for a moment, his features quickly falling into a heavy frown.

"It was me, wasn't it?" He began added solemnly. "I made that man..."

"No," Iruka cut him off. "What happened wasn't your fault Naruto. It wasn't your fault that those horrible things were being done to you and it most certainly wasn't your fault if that man got hurt. It was his own actions that resulted in that consequence."

_'Although I will have to inform the Hokage of this development,'_ he added mentally. _'We should head over there as soon as possible.'_

Iruka then stood from his seat, prompting Naruto to do the same, before turning to Teuchi, who had already looked over to them.

"Thank you very much for hosting us Teuchi-sama. I appreciate your kind hospitality towards both my student and I." He then nudged Naruto in the shoulder.

"O-oh, um, thanks old man!" The boy stammered, having understood his sensei's gesture. "The food was really awesome! In fact, it was the best I have ever tasted!" Teuchi simply smiled in response, before bowing his head to see them off. Iruka was about to hand over the bill for their meal, but the older man simply waved him off.

"There will be no need for that today," he laughed. "Besides, you have given me the blessing of bringing me a promising new customer, one I am sure I will be seeing often in the future. Aren't I right Naruto-kun?"

"You bet ya, old man!" Naruto grinned in reply.

With that, he and Iruka made their way out of the stall and back into the dusty streets, after which they began to make their way once more, with almost no destination in mind. There were a few moments of awkward silence between the traveling pair, so Naruto simply took the moment to regard his surroundings in the time offered to him.

By now, the sun had already passed its threshold at the top of the sky and was now making its way towards the horizon. Its golden light bathed the rooftops and streets in a radiant glow that brought a comforting warmth to all those that fell under its embrace and even Naruto felt relaxed as he felt its gentle caress against his skin and across his face.

There were a few moments where his thoughts wandered back to the night before, back to the cold and the dark, back to the damp chill and billowing winds, back to the pain. The mere thought of it sent a shiver down his spine and even he couldn't help it as a single tear slid down his cheeks. However, even despite his efforts to quickly wipe away the evidence of his emotions, Iruka had easily noticed his unease.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" He inquired carefully, bringing them both to a halt. "You look a bit shaken up."

Naruto simply looked back up to his sensei, his eyes lost in a forlorn expression.

"It's just... I guess I'm not used to anyone being so kind to me." He sighed. Iruka then watched as his eyebrows began to furrow together, almost as if caught between an awkward frown and a curious stare.

"Why are you doing all this for me?" He finally continued. "I mean, why are you going out of your way to help me, when all anyone else ever did was call me a monster? All my life, everyone I have ever known has just treated me like dirt, but not you. You're so kind and... and..."

Naruto felt himself being pulled closely to Iruka as his words devolved into little more than whispers. At that moment, all he could feel was the warmth and strength of the man's arms holding him tightly, his face otherwise buried in the mess of fabric that made up his vest. It was only a short time later, before he heard the soft words offered by his sensei reach his hearing once more.

"Look, Naruto, I don't know how to explain the actions of others and I can't justify any reasons for them treating you the way they have. All I can say is that it was wrong. You aren't any of those things they called you and you didn't deserve what they did to you in any regard. What they did was wrong. Do you understand what I am saying?"

The chunin then pulled away slightly, enough to just barely catch Naruto's eyes as well as the small gesture as the boy nodded his head in silent understanding. He began to feel the same odd sensation of emotions he had before when they had hugged earlier that day, a mix of confusion, sadness and grief all melded together, but he was also pleased to feel a sense of comfort and relief through their contact as well.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei."

Hearing Naruto's soft words of gratitude, Iruka then ruffled up his hair a bit, gaining another soft chuckle, followed by a wide, grateful smile.

"Alright, that's looking better already," he smiled in return. "Now, lets go see the old man and get this matter resolved once and for all." With that, the two began their long journey to see the Saindaime, a meeting that would hold more surprises for them than either could have ever expected.

xxx

The trip to the Hokage's tower was met with little trouble for Iruka and Naruto, save for the hateful stares directed towards the youngest of the pair by many of the villagers that they passed. However, such remorseless glares were only intercepted by Iruka's own deep scowl, a threatening gesture that easily warded off any thought one might have had of harming his student.

He only hoped that Naruto himself did not notice what was happening around him, although if the boy's withdrawn expression and almost timid body language was anything to go by, he doubted that was the case.

Fortunately for them both, they were soon inside the large structure that was their destination and almost just as suddenly as they had walked through its entrance, there was a sudden sensation of relief shared by the two. Iruka didn't really know if such emotions were his own, or whether they belonged to the boy whose hand he had guided him by this far, but it didn't really matter anymore. He was just happy if Naruto felt comfortable.

Walking down the bustling hallways, filled with scampering shinobi and messengers alike, the pair eventually arrived at the doors that led to the Saindaime's office, its passage guarded by two, masked shinobi standing on either side. Naruto recognized the masks immediately and knew that they identified these particular shinobi as ANBU, an elite division of Konoha's best ninja that answered only to the Hokage himself. However, before he was even allowed a moment to stand in awe of such enigmatic figures, one of them turned at their arrival, before bowing curtly and addressing Iruka directly.

"Iruka-san, you're finally here. Hokage-sama has been waiting for you two, he told us to let you inside as soon as you arrived." Iruka couldn't help it as his eyebrows rose curiously, easily displaying his surprise.

"Lord Hokage was expecting us?" He inquired, almost under his own breath.

However, he quickly shook off his confusion on the matter and bowed politely, just as the ANBU opened the door to let him inside. The scarred chunin then nudged Naruto forward, prompting him to enter, while following shortly behind him. Once they were through the door, they could hear it closing firmly behind them, leaving the two standing alone with only the presence of the most powerful figure in Konoha to meet their view.

The office was quite large for its single inhabitant and almost absurdly spacious, with a single wooden desk making up the only piece furniture to inhabit the otherwise barren floors. The desk itself, however, was another matter entirely, as its surface was dotted with an assortment of stationary, as well as towering stacks of documentation that any man or woman seeing it would only refer to as the 'dreaded paperwork'.

Noticing their arrival, an old man looked up from his said stack of paperwork, before smiling softly, causing the wrinkles and lines that marred his face to stretch awkwardly. Iruka could see a sudden flash of relief reflect in the old eyes that looked over them and he knew that Naruto was most certainly the subject of his concern and, subsequently, the sigh that escaped his lips. How the old man had caught onto what was happening, however, was anyone's guess.

"Ah Iruka, I'm glad you could make it." Hiruzen finally announced softly, his voice betraying not even a single hint of the tension that had otherwise gripped his being. The old man's eyes then moved over to Naruto, who shifted somewhat uncomfortably under his gaze. He couldn't help but notice the boy's poor condition, a factor that he intended to address shortly enough, but for now, he decided it was best to appear as cheerful as possible so as not to be intimidating.

"And I see you brought Naruto-kun with you as well." He continued, pushing back his thoughts. "I am pleased to see both of you are here." Iruka quickly gave a court bow in response to Hiruzen's greeting and, following a suggestive nudge in his direction, Naruto did the same.

"You were expecting us, lord Hokage?" He inquired shortly after, raising his head again.

The old man simply grinned at the obvious confusion on the chunin's face. Naruto looked equally baffled and a little bit intimidated by his presence as well, but a quick flash of his warm smile quickly erased some of the boy's tension.

"Well, when I received news from the orphanage about an incident that occurred there late last night, as well as the fact that they saw fit to remove Naruto from their care due to the nature of the event, I naturally became concerned. Then, of course, I received a report from the ninja academy that one of my best teachers just upped and left a class unattended. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together so I knew I would be seeing both of you soon enough."

Iruka couldn't help it as his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

"I… I shouldn't have left so suddenly like that, my apologies…"

"There's no need to apologize," The Sandaime cut him off. "I can understand the good intentions behind your actions and so I have already dealt with the persistent nuisance of the academy officials. The situation has been explained as best as I could offer at the time, so for the time being, there shouldn't be any reprisal. For now, however, we have a lot to discuss. I am sure you didn't just come here to apologize, did you?"

Following Hiruzen's inquiry, Iruka prompted Naruto forward, nudging him closer to the large wooden desk at which the Hokage sat.

"Naruto, can you please tell the Hokage everything you've explained to me so far?" He pleaded gently. Naruto took a deep gulp and after a few reassuring squeezes on his shoulder from Iruka, he nodded his head in approval.

"Alright, I'll try my best."

The boy then began to relate the events of the previous night as he had with his instructor less than an hour before. The Hokage seemed to react in a similar manner as Iruka had, nodding his head in silent understanding as Naruto explained and questioning him every so often when the moment presented itself. After another daunting retake on the terrible events that had transpired, Naruto finished with a deep heave, one that only served to quell his lingering emotions.

"And that's everything," he finally ended off, releasing the breath he had held.

"So, that's how it happened..." The Sandaime sighed, pushing into the back of his chair. "Naruto, I would ask that you please step outside for a moment so that your sensei and I can discuss this matter privately, if that is alright with you."

Naruto simply nodded his head, for a lack of any better response, before stepping outside and away from their hearing. Once he was gone, Hiruzen turned back to face Iruka again.

"So, Iruka, I am sure you have come up with your own hypothesis as to what happened with Naruto, if your expression is anything to go by."

"That's right, lord Hokage," the chunin confirmed. "It is my suspicion that the warden fell into a genjutsu of Naruto's making. However, in saying that, I also know that he lacks the sufficient chakra control to handle such an advanced technique, which puts us in a bit of an awkward place."

Sarutobi simply nodded his head without even a single hint of surprise marking his expression. It was almost as if he had already suspected Iruka's answer, after all, he was widely known as the professor, a legend of a shinobi who had learned and mastered every ninjutsu in Konoha. It wouldn't have shocked Iruka whatsoever if the old man had already come to a similar, if not more accurate conclusion himself.

"Do you think the nine-tailed fox has something to do with this?" Iruka shook his head, much to the aging Hokage's relief.

"No, I doubt that is the case. From what I can tell by Naruto's explanation, as well as my own observations of the boy's behavior, I suspect an advanced bloodline may be involved." This time, the Sandaime's eyes did widen in surprise.

"An advanced bloodline you say?" He asked curiously. "Now that _is_ quite a claim. Do you really believe Naruto may hold the power of a kekkei genkai?"

"Not just any kind of kekkei genkai," Iruka replied. "I think this may even be a doujutsu of some kind, one we have never seen before. The explanation that Naruto gave us definitely suggests that much and there is no other way to explain how he was able to cast such a powerful genjutsu without any training or hand seals to activate it. We both know that kekkei genkai may sometimes be inadvertently activated in moments of extreme emotional or physical trauma, so it makes sense. In addition to that, I have also experienced a strange physical sensation when touching him, which I believe may also be related as well."

Hearing Iruka's explanation, Hiruzen then stood from his desk and walked over to where the young man was standing, while simultaneously removing an ornate pipe from its carrier and slipping it between his lips. He then lit the coals and drew a deep breath through the mouthpiece, before releasing his tension in a plume of smoke. For a moment, he simply allowed himself to relish in the bitter taste of tobacco that played across his tongue, before finally speaking up again, addressing Iruka once more.

"As surprising as this development may seem, there is a good chance that you may be correct in your assessment." He began again.

"Entire generations of clans have often passed in and out of existence without anyone ever learning their secrets or even knowing of their presence, so there is a possibility that Naruto may indeed hold such a heritage as well. I will call on the assistance of a jounin who specializes in illusions to have a look at the boy. Her name is Yuhi Kurenai and if this was indeed a genjutsu of some sort, she may be able to uncover how it was executed. In the meantime, I want you to prepare Naruto for his return to the orphanage. I expect…"

**"WHAT?"** Iruka cut him off abruptly. "Are you really going to send him back there after what they did to him! How can you even think that!"

Before the man could even finish, Hiruzan quickly cut off his words with a firm glare, immediately silencing his protests. Iruka knew that he had overstepped his bounds and that such actions could have held far greater consequences than a mere scolding, but even despite that, he couldn't help the anger that welled up in his heart.

Seeing his frustration, Hiruzen simply shook his head, before speaking up in answer.

"Look Iruka, I know how you feel about this matter and I understand your concern, but I can't have Naruto living on the streets alone. It's simply too dangerous for a young boy his age, especially considering his status as a jinchuuriki and the hatred so readily directed towards him. However, I also understand your position as well and the actions of his caretakers are deeply disturbing to say the least. I am just as upset as you are about his treatment at the orphanage and I will do my best to address that, but unfortunately, the council has insisted that he be left in their care unless a suitable substitute family can be found and I cannot argue with them on this matter. No-one else in Konoha will take him in willingly, given his nature, and I can't force that kind of obligation on anyone, so I am afraid I have no choice but to..."

**"No!"** Iruka interrupted once more. "We do have another choice. I can't allow Naruto to live on the streets either, but I won't see him back at the very orphanage that made his life a misery in the first place. It would tear him apart inside, having to go back to that hell after all these years of torture by their hands."

Hiruzen regarded Iruka with an air of curiosity, wondering what it was that he might suggest. The chunin's eyes quickly hardened their gaze thereafter, clearly defining his new found resolve as well as the iron will that had now settled into his heart. He had made his decision. He knew what he had to do.

"If the council needs someone to care for him before they are willing to bend, then I will be that someone. If no one else in Konoha will take up that responsibility, then I will be the one to bear it. Naruto… he can live with me. I'll take care of him from now onwards."

* * *

**AN:** As you may have noticed, I tried to get Naruto's personality a bit closer to how it was in cannon, without losing the emotional impact of the effects that his treatment had on him. So he is emotionally scarred, but he won't be as frail as he was before, albeit still withdrawn under certain conditions.

I was going to combine this with the next chapter, but with all the new details I added, this chapter ended up becoming about 60% longer than it was before and at 8000 words, I thought it was best to cut it off where it feels suitable. The pace will start to pick up a bit now and this is where some of more prominent changes will become a bit more apparent.

I hope you enjoyed it! ^ ^

**Credits:**

Writer - Me of course! XD  
Beta - Captain Pickles


	3. Chapter 3  A Place to Call Home

**Eyes of the Broken Soul**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and manga so I wrote this fanfic.

This fanfic and the ideas therein do belong to me, 'Tenrai Senshi'. If you want to use it in any way shape or form, you'll need my permission first. All original characters also belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

**Warning:** Naruto is a bit OOC in this story due to circumstances explained, most notably in the earlier chapters. Some of the other characters may become OOC as well, mostly due to different circumstances taking place, but that isn't 100% certain yet. If you don't like it, don't complain because I've already warned you.

**AN:** Hey everyone. Unfortunately, this chapter is a bit late. (Okay, more than a bit.)

I have been really busy lately and it seems that despite my best efforts, I simply won't be able to get chapters out in the same speed I used to be able to before. At least, not for some time to come. For now, this is the best I can do, but I did promise myself I would not rush anymore regardless. I don't want the quality of the story to drop because I was rushing to please everyone else.

Even still, I will try my best to continue writing for as long as I can, so whether it takes a week or a month, I will update.

Anyway, for better or for worse, here it is.

P.S. If you are curious as to when I might update, or if you just want to ask a question, you are welcome to send me a PM and I will answer in as good a time as possible.

I hope you enjoy! ^ ^

* * *

**Chapter 3 - A Place to Call Home  
**

When one thinks of time, one thinks of seconds, minutes or hours, the passing of moments and events that shape our memories and our dreams. For many, time is simple, easy to understand and a subject that requires little thought beyond its measurement, but for Naruto, time felt awkward, it felt like an illusion, it felt...

... surreal.

In all his life, up until this very moment, time was the only comfort that he could hold onto that separated each moment of pain, each tear that fell or each cruel whisper that wedged into his heart from the next and yet, despite all that, it almost seemed fleeting in a way. It was as if all he could ever remember was that anguish and nothing more, as if the entirety of his existence was simply a single, endless moment of suffering. That was his life, his purpose, his very being, but now something felt different.

In one day, everything seemed to change so suddenly. Time almost seemed to stand still, as if it had ceased to exist altogether. In one day, he had felt the warmth of a hug, heard the soft whisper of comfort offered in kindness and felt himself truly smile for the first time. In a strange way, it felt like he had lived an entire lifetime in that single day, a lifetime of warmth and happiness and, perhaps, even love.

At least, he hoped it was love... he had no other way to describe that warmth that had suddenly begun to well up in his heart.

However, much like the passing of time itself, Naruto couldn't help but feel that it was nothing more than an illusion, a fleeting moment of hopeful dreams and desires, and he knew that each moment had a beginning and an end. No matter how much he wanted to hold onto it, no matter how much he wanted to keep feeling that warmth, he couldn't help but think that it would not last, that it was simply another moment of comfort that separated his last experience of agony with the next that was to come.

_'I guess... I should be thankful that I got to feel it at all. At least my wish came true, even if it was only for a little while.'_

Naruto let out a deep sigh as he continued to walk silently through the now empty streets of Konoha, before looking up to the figure walking just as quietly beside him. Iruka did not look back down at him and Naruto suspected that the man didn't notice his brief display of frustration. In fact, from what he could tell, Iruka appeared to be deep in thought and he doubted whether the man was even aware of anything at all at that point.

Unable to find any words to express himself, Naruto then turned his attention to the sky above, which now bristled with a cluster of glittering stars, scattered intermittently between silver clouds that caught the scant rays of bright moonlight that peered through them radiantly. It had been a few minutes since the two had left the Hokage tower and neither of them had shared a word between one another since then. Naruto wanted to say something, to ask what Iruka and the Hokage had spoken about, but he knew it was best to leave it for the time being.

As if to reflect the nature of his thoughts, a brief whisper of cool, icy wind brushed up from the dusty streets that met his feet, tickling against the exposed skin of his legs and arms and causing him to shiver slightly from the cold. Naruto quickly brought his arms up to wrap around himself in an effort to keep warm, but even then he could not help his own shivering.

This time, however, Iruka noticed his subtle reaction and, without even thinking on it, quickly placed an arm around his student's shoulders, before pulling him closer in an attempt to keep him warm. Naruto didn't resist the action. In fact, it was comforting to be held in someone else's arms. Instead, he simply relished in the moment for as long as it would be offered to him.

"I guess we should have bought you a coat as well," Iruka mused, almost aimlessly, while rubbing Naruto's shoulders in an attempt to garner some heat. "This is unusually cold weather we have been experiencing lately, especially for this time of the year."

Naruto just nodded his head in agreement, for a lack of any better response, his thoughts quickly wandering back to the previous night that he had spent sleeping under an icy blanket of wind and rain, next to an abandoned dumpster. The mere thought of it caused him to shiver again, only this time the cold was not to blame. Luckily, however, his actions did not arouse any further suspicions from Iruka regarding his current thoughts, or at least, so he thought.

Iruka, however, did not need any outward signs of the boy's feelings. He could already feel them simply by touching him. He could feel all the doubt, the uncertainty, the fear and even the sense of emptiness that still seemed to linger deep inside. As he continued to look down at Naruto with a concerned expression, he noticed the boy's eyes wander back up towards the nighttime sky again, which had since grown darker with the threatening presence of thunderclouds. Another deep sigh followed soon afterwards, along with solemn words offered through a soft whisper.

"It looks like it's gonna rain again tonight," Naruto almost choked, knowing full well what it meant for him.

A brief moment of awkward silence followed after his words, before Iruka suddenly stopped in his tracks, while letting go of his hold on Naruto and turning in front of the blond to face him. Naruto was a bit confused by the sudden action, but his thoughts quickly pieced the possibilities together, which only caused his expression to sink into a frown. Soon, his eyes had lowered altogether, having now settled on his own feet, before watching as his toes fumbled nervously in his sandals. Seeing his plight, Iruka quickly spoke up to ease his tension.

"Look Naruto, there's something we need to..."

"It's alright if you want to go now," Naruto cut him off, surprising the chunin. Iruka simply raised an eyebrow curiously, unsure of the meaning of his student's words. Sensing his confusion, Naruto spoke up again.

"If you want to leave now, I understand," he continued shakily. "You've done so much for me already, and I don't want to cause any more trouble for you Iruka-sensei, so it's alright if you want to leave me now. I'll be fine... I'll be..."

Before the boy could even finish his sentence, Iruka suddenly knelt down in front of him, before placing a hand on his shoulder and inadvertently causing him to flinch slightly at the sudden contact. Naruto simply kept his head lowered, unsure of what else to do, but Iruka quickly brought his other hand up under the boy's chin, before lifting his face until their eyes met. Soon, he was looking straight into the empty blue irises that now stared fearfully back at him, eyes that were longing for his affection, for his approval, and perhaps even for something more, something that even Iruka himself didn't know if he could offer fully.

"Look Naruto," He began again, with a sigh. "I... the thing is, I spoke to the Hokage about everything that has happened and, well, I don't think a kid like you should be sleeping on the streets by himself. It's too dangerous and it's... it's wrong for any child to have to go through that. So we decided... well, actually, what I wanted to ask was..."

The chunin then took a deep breath, unsure of how Naruto would respond to the words that would come next.

"What I wanted to ask was if you would like to stay with me."

Naruto's eyes simply widened at the man's words, his mind trying desperately to process everything he had just heard. He could feel his heart begin to race hopefully in his chest, causing it to ache painfully, while his lips parted from one another, as if trying to speak silent words that simply never came to be. It was only a moment later before he finally found his voice again and even then, its existence was hardly measurable beyond a mere whisper.

"Y-you mean?"

"Yes," Iruka continued in Naruto's stead. "I have already discussed it with the Hokage and he approves of my request. All I need now is your permission. So, what do you say? Do you want to live with me?"

As Iruka's hand continued to squeeze Naruto's shoulder tightly, the man could feel a sudden flurry of emotions begin to overwhelm his own heart as well, emotions that he knew, all too well, were not his own. He could feel confusion, uncertainty and even a bit of fear, but after a moment, even those emotions were suddenly replaced by a strange sense of warmth. It was like a sudden glimmer of sunlight had brushed against his body, gently caressing his soul in its promising light.

Even Naruto's eyes seemed to reflect his emotions, as a subtle tint of gold began to shimmer across a deep blue, creating a mesmerizing trance as Iruka continued to look into them, seemingly lost in their gaze. After a moment, without any other warning or response, Naruto suddenly threw his arms around his sensei, before squeezing him as tightly as his small, quivering body could manage.

"I don't... I don't know what to say..." he mumbled, as he buried his head into Iruka's shoulders. "It's just... I..." Iruka just continued to stroke his back in an effort to relieve the sudden wave of emotions that now enveloped him.

"There, there kiddo, just relax and take deep breaths now. I'm sure this is a bit of a shock to you, especially after everything that has happened, but I promise this isn't a trick or some sort of cruel lie made up to hurt you. I would be happy to have you living with me, if you would accept it." Naruto squeezed even more tightly after that and it was almost enough to rid Iruka of any oxygen that he might otherwise have had left in his lungs.

"I'll take that as a yes then," the chunin almost gasped out.

Naruto simply nodded his head, his voice now failing him altogether. Even if he could speak, he wasn't sure if he could even find the words to express how he felt right then. However, words were no longer even necessary. Iruka could already feel what was inside Naruto's heart. All the pain and fear he had felt earlier that day was no longer present in that moment of time, only a joy and appreciation that was unlike anything Iruka had ever felt before.

"Oh Naruto, I'm so sorry about all of this," he offered gently. "If only I had seen it sooner. I would have put a stop to it before, rather than letting it go this far. I could have protected you from being hurt and I failed in that, but I promise from now on I'll make things better. I'll make everything right again."

Naruto didn't want to let go anymore, he didn't want to lose that warmth that he felt right in that moment. He just wanted to hold on forever, to relish in that comfort for as long as he could, even despite the soft, icy trickle of rain that began to descend from the sky above. However, Iruka had already noticed the cold tingle of raindrops as they touched softly against his cheek and so he reluctantly pulled out of the warm embrace, before gaining Naruto's eyes again.

They seemed somewhat puffy, but Iruka was pleased to see Naruto smiling brightly, although somewhat awkwardly, behind the mar of bruises that still clearly marked his face. Seeing such an expression, he couldn't help his own smile as it crept across his lips.

"Well, I think we should hurry home, don't you agree?" Iruka finally spoke again, only this time his expression was far lighter and cheery than before. "We don't want you catching a cold on your first night in your new home, do we?" Naruto nodded silently in response, still unable to find his voice, before taking a hold of Iruka's hand again, only to be suddenly pulled into an excited sprint towards the nearby shelter.

From there, everything became a blur for Naruto, as sights, sounds and even feelings began to distort and grow hazy. He wasn't even sure if he was controlling his own body anymore, or whether he was simply living in the realm of some estranged dream scape. All he knew was that he could feel his legs moving underneath him, while his feet pattered and splashed through the mud and water that began to collect along the roads. The only feelings that made him even remotely aware of his own presence was the icy tingling in his toes as the moist earth seeped in between them through his sandals and the excited beat of his own racing heart.

Naruto didn't even notice it as he instinctively giggled out loudly despite himself, his senses caught up in an overwhelming rush of excitement as he and Iruka continued to run through the rain, dashing excitedly from shelter to shelter as fast as they could managed in an effort to avoid getting too wet. It was almost akin to some sort of game that children would play happily with their friends, as the pair laughed and sprinted hand in hand, with Iruka even trying to shelter Naruto with his own body to some degree. However, for that single moment in time, Naruto didn't even care about the rain anymore, nor did he even notice the cold. For that moment, all that existed were his emotions, emotions that began to well up as if they had only just awakened to the realization of what was truly happening.

The boy could soon feel a river of warmth flowing down his cheeks, mixing with the chill of the rain as the beads of water streamed down his skin and tickled it gently. Only this time, he knew that such an evidence of his emotions was simply a reflection of the joy that welled up in his heart and he was comforted in the knowledge that those emotions could not be seen by any evil that would remorselessly strip them away.

It was only a short time later that the pair finally arrived at their destination, although to Naruto it felt more like an eternity, as both he and Iruka came up to what looked like a quaint house near the outskirts of the village. It stood out somewhat from all the other houses Naruto had seen, being away from the cluttered mess of buildings that made up most of the rest of Konoha, and it also stood on its own as well, complete with a garden and a wooden fence around the front entrance.

However, judging by its appearance, Naruto suspected that there might have been more to the garden around the back than what could be seen by the rest of the village, although it was too dark to even judge properly, but before he could even utter a single word in an effort to voice his curiosity, Iruka was already pulling him along again, leading him through the front gate and up the stone steps that led to the entrance of the house.

Once they were safely under the shelter of the front porch, Iruka looked back down towards Naruto with a bright smile.

"Well, this is it," he announced cheerfully, surprised even by his own excitement. "Welcome to your new home, Naruto."

Naruto didn't even verbally respond, although the way his eyes widened did more than enough to tell Iruka what he must have felt. However, as the man continued to watch over his charge, he could see Naruto's body begin to shake slightly, although whether it was from anxiousness, excitement or simply the cold, he could not tell. Not wanting to take any chances on the matter, he decided it was best to get Naruto warm, so he quickly unlocked the door and opened it shortly afterwards, revealing the dark interior inside.

A single flick of a light switch quickly illuminated the situation and gave life to the otherwise darkened halls, and Naruto couldn't even help it as his mouth fell agape with a deep gasp. He just stood there, motionless, his eyes wandering around the warm and spacious interior that met his gaze. It was nothing like the hellish, cold and damp halls of his orphanage, instead it was warm, clean and inviting. It all simply felt too good to be true and Naruto was almost too afraid to step inside, fearing that it was all just a dream that would end the moment he felt his most happiest.

Seeing his hesitation, Iruka placed a hand gently on Naruto's back, feeling the cold, wet fabric underneath his palms as they fell against the soaked shirt that met his touch.

"Come on, let's go inside kiddo, before you freeze to death out here."

He then led the boy inside through the front door, before closing it behind them and shutting away the foul weather that lingered outside. Shortly after that, the man quickly took off his sandals and promptly disappeared off into a nearby hallway, leaving Naruto standing there confused, shivering and dripping wet. However, the purpose of Iruka's haste soon became apparent, as the man reappeared with a large, fluffy towel held firmly in his grasp.

"Alright, let's get that shirt off you now," he ordered gently. "We can't have you sopping wet like that for too long."

Complying to Iruka's request, Naruto unfolded his arms from around his waste and pulled the soaked clothing from his back. He struggled somewhat to get it off, as it clung ever so stubbornly to his skin, but Iruka quickly assisted him in lifting it over his shoulders, before yanking it from the boy's head and leaving his blond hair spiked up in a mess.

However, even having rid himself of the article of clothing, Naruto could still feel the chill seeping into his skin, and his arms instinctively moved back around to hug his body again as it continued to shake violently. However, what concerned Iruka even more than Naruto's shaking, was the painful view that met his eyes as he caught sight of the bruises that covered the boy from head to toe, bruises that dotted all along his chest and even down his arms. It was also painfully clear now just how malnourished Naruto was and Iruka couldn't help but wonder how such a frail looking body could have withstood so much for so long.

Naruto must have noticed his expression though, because Iruka quickly noted the way the boy began to retreat into himself, his eyes quickly falling to the floor as if to hide his shame.

Of course, Iruka understood Naruto's trepidations all too well. The child's poor condition was all too easy to see now without any clothing to hide his body from view, but he decided it was best not to waste any more time or attention on it. Instead, he quickly covered Naruto with the towel he had prepared, much to the boy's relief, before rubbing him down briskly from head to toe, while being careful not to hurt him considering his numerous injuries.

The man finished off with a quick ruffle of Naruto's hair and once he was done, the blond mop on top of Naruto's head was even more of a spiky mess than it had been before, which only prompted Iruka to giggle at the sight of it.

"Hehehe! That look kind of suits you, you know," he smiled, trying his best to lighten the mood. Naruto just giggled shakily in response. He was just happy to be offered so much attention.

Once Iruka was satisfied that his charge was sufficiently warm and wrapped up comfortably in a towel, he then helped Naruto remove his dirtied, mud-ridden sandals, before wiping down the youngster's feet in a similar manner. Naruto was somewhat surprised by the attention and care the man was offering him, so he simply stood there dumbfounded by it all. It made his heart feel warm, knowing that someone would do so much for him and ask for nothing in return.

Once Iruka was finally done with his self allotted task, he then stood up to his feet once more, before leading Naruto into a nearby bathroom and handing him some dry clothes.

"Alright kiddo, quickly get changed into something warm and come out when you are ready. After that I'll show you the rest of the house."

"O-okay," Naruto stammered in response, speaking the first word he could manage since they had arrived. He then disappeared behind a closed door, only to reemerge a few minutes later wearing a pair of white sleeping shorts and an similarly coloured, short-sleeved shirt.

Seeing that the boy was now sufficiently comfortable and, more importantly, dry, Iruka nodded his head in approval, before taking a hold of Naruto's hand again. In doing so, he felt a sudden rush of emotions flowing through their touch that were otherwise hidden from the boy's expression, emotions that clearly spoke of the anxiousness and excitement that gripped Naruto's heart.

"Alright... let's show you around now..."

From there, Iruka guided Naruto through the house that he himself had lived in all his life, moving from one room to the next while giving the boy some time to absorb everything he was being shown. For the most part, it was a decently sized house, sporting three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room with a fireplace, a study and finally the kitchen, with each connected by a central hallway that spanned the length of the house. It was by no means a mansion, but it had the makings of a nice family home, which it most certainly was at some point in the past.

Naruto also noticed a large wooden sliding door on the far side of the house that led into what he assumed was the back half of the garden, but he was unable to go through it at the time to investigate, given the poor weather conditions.

Each time Iruka showed another room to his younger company, he could feel a flutter of emotions rush through the contact shared between them, mostly excitement and curiosity from what he could tell, although there were some others he could not so easily identify. It made him feel strangely content, knowing that he was able to do at least something to ease the boy's suffering, even if only a little, and as long as the feelings of sadness and pain he had felt earlier were not present, he was relieved.

After a few minutes of exploring the house, Iruka finally led Naruto into a somewhat larger room on the far end of the hallway. The boy's eyes searched curiously around the spacious interior, exploring every nook and cranny that he could find, before falling on the center of the room, where a large double bed stood. Next to it, there was a small bedside table with a portrait standing firmly atop its surface. From what Naruto could tell, it was a photograph of a small boy standing in front of what was obviously his mother and father and the tell-tale scar running across the bridge of the boy's nose clearly identified him as none other than Iruka.

Once Naruto had finished scanning the room, his eyes then moved up to his sensei once more, who had already looked down to meet his gaze. Seeing the curiosity hidden within Naruto's expression, the young man smiled warmly.

"This is my room," He offered gently, before looking up again. "It used to be my parents' room before... well... before..."

Naruto quickly noticed Iruka's expression fall into a heavy frown thereafter, although what troubled him even more was the sensation he felt suddenly welling up inside his heart. It was then that he realized that he had never heard Iruka talk about his parents before, which could only mean one thing.

"W-what happened to them?" He mumbled softly, curious about the matter. Iruka was surprised by the sudden question, but he quickly composed himself.

"They... they died a few years ago, when I was younger." He admitted regretfully.

The chunin didn't wish to say any more than that, mostly out of fear of Naruto's reaction if the boy discovered the circumstances around his parents' deaths. The less the young container knew about the Kyuubi at all, the better. However, even he could not help it as his own emotions began to stir precariously, but he quickly suppressed them as he noticed Naruto begin to grow uncomfortable to his touch as well, no doubt a result of the strange connection shared between them.

Realizing that it was best to move on, Iruka quickly spoke up again.

"Hehehe... well I guess I should show you your..."

"Was it hard?" Naruto cut him off. Iruka simply looked back down at the boy curiously, trying to decipher the meaning behind his question."You know. When your mom and dad died, it must have been really sad," Naruto continued again. "It must have hurt a lot."

Iruka just nodded heavily. There was no point in hiding it and he suspected Naruto already knew the answer all too well.

"It... it was very painful." He sighed. "I remember crying in this very room the night I found out. I cried for so long, I didn't think I would ever stop crying again. I think I may have even fallen asleep crying, because I don't recall what happened after that. What I do remember, though, is that since then, I have always slept in my parents' room... in this very bed that once belonged to them. I guess it was my way of trying to hold onto their memory, my way of easing the pain and comforting myself. I felt, closer to them... I guess... and sometimes while I was lying there, it felt warm, like they were still holding me in their arms."

Naruto simply continued to stare blankly for a moment, trying his best to process Iruka's words. It was only a moment later that he finally offered to speak again, only this time, his words softened into little more than a mere whisper.

"I... I've never felt warm like that." He began solemnly. "I never had parents to hug me, or make me feel safe or warm. I always used to watch everyone passing by outside my window, holding each other closely, and I used to wonder how it would feel if someone would hold me in their arms and keep me warm like that. Sometimes I would even have dreams that my parents were with me. They would hold me tightly in their arms and tell me how much they loved me... how proud they were to have me as their son..."

A single tear managed to escape Naruto's eyes as he continued to speak softly, even despite his best efforts to remain calm, but he quickly wiped it away again, before taking a deep breath and continuing.

"I... I just wanted it to be real. I wanted to feel it, but I could never see their faces. I could never feel them touching me. I just felt empty and cold and... alone. I never had anyone to hold me, I never even knew what a hug felt like... until today. Today was the first time I ever felt a hug but I..."

Naruto then looked back up towards Iruka, whose expression had suddenly fallen into one of concern.

"I think maybe I finally understand how it feels now," the boy continued. "It... it feels even better than in my dreams." Naruto then managed to smile, something that definitely took Iruka by surprise. It was a soft smile and it was barely visible, but it was still there nonetheless.

"If I... if I had ever had a chance to meet my dad, I would have wanted him to be just like you Iruka-sensei."

Naruto's words were enough to make Iruka's heart sink into his stomach. The way the boy's eyes seemed to stare up at him so longingly, so desperately, only served to deepen the wound that sank itself even further into his chest and it was all he could do to place an arm around Naruto's shoulders, before pulling him closer and squeezing him affectionately.

"Thanks kiddo. It means a lot, to hear you say that. Now let's get moving again. There's still one more thing I need to show you."

He then led Naruto out of his own room and down the hallway once again, before finally arriving at one last door that led to the only room Naruto had not inspected yet. Iruka then let go of the boy's hand and placed his own hand on Naruto's back, before gently urging him forward.

"Go ahead, open it."

Naruto took a deep gulp and then placed his hand gently on the door nob, feeling its cold touch tickling against his palm. For some reason, he felt hesitant for a moment, noting with great discomfort the way his heart seemed to sink anxiously. Taking a deep breath to calm his own shaking nerves, unaware as to why he felt so anxious in the first place, he then turned the handle gently and heard a soft click as the door crept opened, revealing the interior hidden behind it one inch at a time.

Naruto slowly entered into the room thereafter, with Iruka following closely behind him. It was a fairly sized room, not quite as big as Iruka's, but a comfortable space for any single person to reside in. On the far end of the room was a single bed, standing right up alongside a large window that looked out into the back garden. Next to the bed was a small wooden shelf, with a night lamp standing atop its surface. There were also cupboards lined up on the wall to the far right, no doubt for clothing or anything else one might store inside.

After a few moments of silence, Iruka placed both of his hands on top of Naruto's shoulders, before squeezing them gently.

"This used to be my room when I was just a boy," he offered softly, smiling warmly as he spoke. "I have so many fond memories of this place, of all the times I would play in here with my friends, or how I would just lie in my bed for hours, watching the clouds pass by outside my window. It was also a place I felt safe and comfortable inside, even when I was sad or lonely..."

The chunin then looked down towards Naruto.

"Now it's yours Naruto. This room belongs to you from now onwards."

Naruto felt a warm sensation filling up his heart as he absorbed the words that were softly spoken to him. It was his, his room, a place that he could finally call his own.

Breaking free from the hands that held his shoulders firmly in place, Naruto slowly made his way over to the bed in front of him, before running his fingers through the soft blankets that covered its surface, his eyes lost in a trance as he regarded its comforting texture. This was nothing like the cold, damp, tattered excuse for a bed he slept in at the orphanage, and it most certainly wasn't a dumpster hidden in some dark alleyway. The blanket was soft and warm, and devoid of the numerous frays and tears that he had always been used to.

The boy then jumped up onto the bed itself, before turning himself around and allowing his legs to dangle of the side, his feet swinging playfully beneath him while his hands continued to squeeze the soft fabric that met his touch.

Naruto then looked back up to Iruka with a smile, a gesture that the chunin couldn't help but return in kind. Iruka then walked up towards the bed that Naruto sat upon, before kneeling right down in front of him and gaining his eyes once more in the process.

"Well, I know the room is a bit bare at the moment," he admitted, "but it hasn't been used in a long time, so it needs a bit of work to make it feel homey again. I guess that will come with time though. So, kiddo, what do you think of your new home?"

Naruto's answer came in a wordless form as he leaped off from the bed and into Iruka's arms, almost toppling over the stunned chunin in the process. The boy's excited chuckle was almost completely muffled out as he dug his head deeply into Iruka's shoulder and soon his entire body was quivering once again, only this time not from the cold. He still couldn't believe what was happening, and he still wondered if it was just a cruel dream sent to torture him as he slept next to a dumpster. However, somehow he knew it was real. For the first time in his life, Naruto felt like he finally had the family and the home that he always wanted.

Truth be told, it was more than he could have ever imagined, more than he could ever put into words, as best as he might have tried.

"I-It's wonderful." He finally mumbled, almost inadvertently. "T-thanks dad..."

However, Naruto almost immediately felt Iruka's body jump at the mention of his words and he quickly realized his mistake. Pulling out of the hug, he quickly took a step backwards again, retreating away from Iruka's touch, while causing the man to frown in concern.

"I... Iruka-sensei, I'm sorry... I didn't meant to..."

"It's alright Naruto," Iruka cut him off. "You just surprised me, that's all. If you really want to, you can call me..."

"No," Naruto interrupted. "I shouldn't have done that. I don't know what came over me. You've done so much for me already, I can't ask you to... I can't... I'm sorry..."

Although it pained Naruto greatly inside, he had already felt Iruka's discomfort when he mentioned the word 'dad'. He knew he couldn't ask Iruka to be his father if the chunin did not wish it. It was simply a desperate hope that had caused him to utter those words and he knew that there was little chance of it ever being anything more than that. He felt ashamed and he couldn't help but wonder if it was simply a selfish desire to want so much from the only man who had ever given him anything at all.

Seeing his growing discomfort, Iruka simply let out a deep sigh, before standing up to his feet once more.

"Alright then, I'll get us something to eat from the kitchen. Why don't you get a feel for your new room in the meantime?" Naruto just nodded his head quietly, too afraid to speak again lest his words cause any more discomfort. Taking that as his leave, Iruka turned to walk out of the room, before closing the door gently behind himself and leaving Naruto alone with his own thoughts.

Once he was gone, the boy then turned and walked back up to his new bed again, before jumping back up onto its surface, only to sit there silently.

_'That was so stupid. How could I have been so dumb...?'_

Naruto's eyes then shifted their attention over to the window beside him, his gaze quickly becoming lost in the view of the raging storm that continued to billow outside.

xxx

Iruka slowly made his way towards the kitchen after having left Naruto's room, desperately trying to shake off the terrible feeling of guilt he now felt pulling painfully at his heart. Naruto wanted a family so desperately that he had even called his own sensei 'dad' without even realizing it. It pained Iruka to even think about the loneliness the boy must have endured all his life to have brought him into such a desperate need for love and acceptance.

_'I have the memories of my parents to comfort me, but all Naruto has is memories of pain and loneliness.' _He mused quietly to himself._ 'He can't turn to those thoughts for comfort. All he has left to hold onto now is...'_

Iruka finally understood. He knew that the only thing that had given Naruto any hope at all throughout his life up, until this point, were his dreams for a family of his own and the hope of a brighter future that even Iruka was unsure of whether he could grant his student or not, as much as he wanted to see the child happy. Naruto was just so desperate to find a father figure to hold onto, a role model that he could follow after and look up to, and Iruka simply didn't know if he was the right person to fill such an important role.

_'It's me. That's what he is holding onto now. He was hoping that I would...'_

Shaking himself from his negative thoughts, Iruka realized that he was already standing inside in the kitchen. Letting out a deep sigh of frustration, given his absent mind, he quickly set some water to the boil, while pouring two sachets of noodle soup into a cup for both himself and Naruto, while trying his best to distract himself from his own feelings. Once the kettle gave off a sharp whistle, signifying that it had come to a boil, he then poured the hot water into the mixture and mixed it thoroughly, before carrying it off to Naruto's room.

xxx

_'They still hate you.'_

Naruto let out a shaky sigh as he continued to watch the the rain pouring down outside his window, trying desperately to shake his deteriorating thoughts from his head while his eyes continued to lose themselves in a mesmerizing trance. Each flash of light that illuminated the nighttime sky, also brought with it a glimpse of an unspeakable beauty, with beads of shimmering light showering down towards the earth like a waterfall of glittering diamonds sent from some heaven up above.

However, with each moment of beauty that came to pass, so too did a moment of dread, as an ominous roar sounded deep into the shadow, following in the wake of the light. Naruto hugged his knees ever closer to his chest as his window shook threateningly, his breath now quickly growing heavier as his heart began to tense painfully in his chest.

"It's just thunder," he mumbled shakily, trying desperately to reassure himself. "I'm safe here, no-one will hurt me." It was all he could do to simply keep himself calm, but even then, he could not rid himself of the lingering sense of dread that clung firmly to his soul.

_'You remember what time it is, don't you, what happens in darkness and shadow? You remember what painful horrors the night brings. They will come soon, they will hurt you and they will not stop until your tears flow as briskly as the rain falls from this storm.'_

"No." Naruto whispered quietly to himself. "Iruka-sensei wouldn't do that to me. He wouldn't hurt me. He... he cares about me." Just then, as if to taunt Naruto's fears, the door to his room began to creek ominously, causing the boy to look up in a startled fright.

_'See? They're here...'_

Naruto felt his heart plummet in his chest as it was gripped with an overwhelming fear. As if by some instinctive reaction, he quickly scuttled to the edge of his bed, before swinging his feet over the side and lowering himself down carefully to the floor below. All he could feel was the cold tingle in his feet as his toes slowly pressed against the wooden surface that met them, everything else was simply a dull blur of raw emotion and panic.

Soon, he found himself standing against the nearby wall, with his back pressed firmly against its cool surface while his hands braced his body at his sides. His breathing began to quicken even more thereafter, straining his burning lungs as the icy night air was pulled into them desperately with each heave, while the pace of his heart quickened just as precariously.

It wasn't long before Naruto could feel the same stinging pain in his chest that had afflicted him the night before, and it was all that he could do to hold his hand up against his beating heart, while squeezing the fabric of his shirt tightly between shaking fingers.

"Why... why does it hurt so much...?"

Just then, the door to his room suddenly flung open, causing Naruto to look over to its entrance only to see Iruka stepping slowly inside, holding a steaming mug of soup in each hand. Iruka, however, immediately caught sight of his panicked form, which only caused the man's eyes to widen with concern.

"Naruto? What's wrong?"

Naruto made no sign of responding. Instead, his shaking knees simply gave way underneath his body, causing him to collapse dangerously onto the floor, while his one hand continued to squeeze desperately against his chest.

"It hurts..."

Iruka didn't waste any time following the sudden reaction, as he quickly dropped both mugs of soup onto the nearby shelf, before running over to his student and kneeling down beside him, watching as the youngster continued to writhe in pain. Naruto was now panting heavily and gasping desperately for air and his body was beaded with a layer of sweat. Iruka tried to reach out for him, but his hand strangely seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if it were too afraid to touch Naruto and cause him any more harm.

"Naruto..."

Fortunately, however, the moment was short lived, and soon Iruka was lifting the boy's back up off the floor, before pushing him down against his own chest and holding him tightly in his lap. It was all he could think of to hold Naruto there against himself, trying desperately to subdue the boy's panicked struggles.

"No! Don't hurt me. I don't want to be hurt anymore!" Naruto cried between strained breaths.

Iruka just continued to pin him down as best as he could in an effort to subdue his movements, while locking his arms firmly at his side in an attempt to keep them from flailing about recklessly.

_'Dammit, this is dangerous. Naruto's breathing is erratic and so is his heartbeat, if he doesn't calm down, this could end up badly.'_

"Naruto, please calm down." He spoke softly, trying to sound as gentle as possible. "I'm not going to hurt you, please, you have to believe me. You need to try and breathe."

Luckily, his words seemed to have some effect, because soon Naruto's thrashing began to subside, until eventually it stopped altogether. The boy's head then fell back into Iruka's chest, while his own chest began to rise and fall in a more rhythmical pattern as he continued to gasp desperately for air.

"That's it Naruto, just breathe. I'm here," Iruka reassured him again. "Just follow my breaths and breathe in time with me."

Naruto didn't verbally respond, but he must have heard Iruka, because it wasn't long before the boy's breaths were rising and falling in time with that of his teacher's. It was only then, once he had managed to regain his own mind, that the tears finally began to fall, while Naruto's body became wracked with heavy sobs.

After that, the young blond simply turned himself around in Iruka's arms and buried his head into the chunin's clothes as he continued to let out all his pain and fear.

"Please... don't let them hurt me... please..."

Iruka didn't know how to respond, so he simply continued to sit there, unmoving, with Naruto curled up in his arms. He wasn't even sure what he would have been able to do either way, or whether there were any words of comfort that he could offer that would ease Naruto's heart. So he simply waited it out, allowing the boy some time to recover himself. The only comfort he could offer was that of his tight embrace, as he continued to hold Naruto closely.

_'No-one... no-one is going to hurt you anymore. I will protect you...'_

It was only a few minutes later, once the sounds of the boy's sobs had died down a bit, that Iruka finally spoke up again.

"Hey, are you feeling a bit better now kiddo?" Naruto lifted his head in response to the question, revealing puffy blue eyes that were still reddened slightly from strain.

"Yeah, I feel a bit better now," he finally responded. After all, he had to admit, he did feel a lot better now than he did a few moments before. "I... I'm sorry Iruka-sensei."

"There's no need to be sorry," the man responded. "You didn't do anything wrong, after all." He then reached up for the two mugs of soup that sat atop the nearby shelf before handing one to Naruto, who clasped it firmly between two hands, instantly welcoming the warmth it provided.

"Here, drink some of that, it will help make you feel a lot better and it will keep you warm." Following the man's advice, Naruto took a few sips from his mug, relishing in the warmth and taste of the steaming broth as it passed his lips and tickled gently down his throat. After he was finally finished with his liquid meal, he looked back up to Iruka again.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei. Thanks for everything you're doing for me."

"It's alright Kiddo," Iruka replied. "You don't need to thank me. Right now, I think you just need some rest. It's high time we got you into bed after all." Iruka was just about to get up to move again in light of his conclusion, but before he could, Naruto spoke up once more.

"No, please wait. I... I'm just a bit, well... can you please wait with me until I fall asleep? I-I don't want to be alone." Iruka was a bit confused by the request, but he quickly understood the reasoning behind it, so he just nodded his head and smiled.

"Sure thing kiddo. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

Relieved to hear his answer, Naruto placed his head back down against Iruka's chest, his eyes quickly growing heavy with fatigue, while the chunin himself simply continued to run a hand through his spikey blond hair, a comfort that seemed to calm the boy down greatly. It wasn't long before Naruto's breathing became soft and light with the signs of sleep, after which Iruka took a moment to look down on his peaceful form for a brief moment. It was somewhat amusing, to see Naruto curled up in his arms so snuggly, an empty mug still clasped firmly in his hands, and yet, at the same time, it felt strangely saddening as well.

Not wanting to allow his thoughts to linger on such things any longer, Iruka decided it was time for him to get to bed as well. Standing up shortly after, with Naruto in his arms, he then lowered the boy into his own bed, before covering him up securely within the warmth of his blankets.

"Goodnight kiddo. I hope your dreams will be better now."

After that, he turned and left the room, closing the door gently behind himself, before heading down the hallway towards his own room. Once he was safely inside, all he could do was lean against the nearest wall, his body now completely overcome with physical and mental fatigue.

_'Boy, what a day. I'm really glad it's over. Whoever thought looking after a kid like that could be so tiring?'_

It was only then that he noticed the cold chill that ran down the sides of either of his cheeks. Moving a hand up to investigate, his touch was met with the wetness of tears, tears he was not even aware had fallen from his eyes.

"When did I...?" But he quickly realized where they must have originated from, after all, there was only one explanation he could think of to explain such a mystery at the time.

_'I see, so they belonged to him after all. Just what is this strange power that Naruto has... a power that would share all the emotions hidden deep within his heart with whoever he touches?'_

Iruka decided it was best to leave his thoughts behind for the time being. Naruto's strange power was a mystery they would have to try and uncover soon, but for now, rest was all that was important. However, even despite his lack of understanding, Iruka still felt a subtle sense of relief, knowing that maybe, just maybe, he was able to carry at least some of Naruto's heavy burden for himself.

To share some of Naruto's sadness, his fear or even his tears, Iruka would gladly do so if it spared the boy even just a little of that pain.

* * *

**AN:** Well that's it for this chapter. One thing I realized while I was writing and referring back to my old work, was how rushed this chapter was in my original story. There was just so much more that I could have added that was never there, which is odd, because normally I am told that my chapters drag out too much. Maybe they do in a way, but at the same time, they felt incomplete as well.

So I realized something...

For better or for worse, this is a story that I always wanted to tell in a very specific way, with certain themes that are very close to me personally. I know it may not be the story everyone is looking for and not everyone will like it. I also know that some readers will want a fast pace with a lot of action, or a powerful Naruto who can fell any foe, but at the end of the day, I have to write my own story the way I want it to be seen.

There was a lot of emotion lost in the original and I feel I have managed to add so much more to this chapter simply by looking deeper into many of the scenes. The atmosphere feels more tangible to me and I am far more satisfied with how it turned out this time. So, I guess the bottom line is, if you want a story that is not quite as deep in that regard, with nothing but action or a pace that spans days, weeks or even months in a single chapter, then that is fine. There are a few hundred-thousand other Naruto fanfics out there and many will have what you are looking for. However, this story might be what others are looking for, so although some may not like it, others no doubt will.

All I am asking is that people respect my story for what it is and for the message I want to express through it. I want emotions to be tangible, the atmosphere to be believable and for my characters to feel as genuine as possible. I hope, in some way, I achieve that and for those who are not looking for that kind of story, I hope you find something you are looking for.

On another note, as mentioned before, most of these early chapters will follow the same set of events as they did before, although they will be written fairly differently in an effort to improve the quality. Most of the more pertinent changes will occur a bit further along, but there will still be a lot of differences even this early. I know Naruto seems like quite a bit of a wreck right now, but that is because he honestly is, which is believable for someone his age having gone through what he has. However, unlike my first version of this story, that will not be a notion that carries through consistently as far as it had before and I intend to lift him up onto his feet a lot sooner than I had in the original version.

Even then, I intend to do so in a way that is still believable, and not just a sudden change that seems to happen on a whim.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! ^ ^

**Credits:**

Writer - Me of course! XD  
Beta - Captain Pickles


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